Mercurial > hg > Aquinas
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originals from http://www.josephkenny.joyeurs.com/CDtexts/SSJohn.htm
| author | ht |
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| date | Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:16:17 +0000 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/john/english/John4.html Tue Nov 24 20:16:17 2009 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,1529 @@ +<html> +<head> +</head> +<body style=text-align:justify><blockquote> +<CENTER><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 60pt">4</span></p> +<p><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE I</span></p></CENTER> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>1 When, therefore, Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was making more disciples +and baptizing more than John 2 (although Jesus did not himself baptize, but his disciples did), +3 he left Judea, and went again to Galilee. 4 He had, however, to pass through Samaria. 5 He +came therefore to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the plot of land which Jacob had given +to his son Joseph. 6 This was the site of Jacob’s well. Jesus, tired from his journey, rested there +at the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus +said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone to the town to buy some food.) 9 So the +Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask me, a woman of Samaria, +for a drink?” (Recall that the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans.)</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>549 Having set forth the teaching of Christ on spiritual regeneration, and that Christ had given +this grace of spiritual regeneration to the Jews, he now shows how Christ gave this grace to the +Gentiles. Now the salutary grace of Christ had been dispensed in two ways to the Gentiles: +through teaching and through miracles. “Going forth, they preached everywhere”: this is the +teaching; “the Lord cooperated with them, and confirmed the word with signs”. These are the +miracles (Mk 16:20).</p> +<p>First, he shows the future conversion of the Gentiles through teaching. Secondly, their future +conversion through miracles (v 43). As to the first, he does two things. First, he sets down certain +matters preliminary to the teaching. Secondly, he presents the teaching and its effect (v 10). As +to the first, he sets down three preliminary facts. First, what relates to the one teaching. Secondly, +something about the matter taught. Thirdly, something about who received the instruction (v 7). +As to the person teaching, the preliminary remark is about his journey to the place where he +taught. Here he does three things. First, he gives the place which he left, that is, from Judea. +Secondly, the place where he was going, to Galilee. Thirdly, the place through which he passed, +Samaria. As to the first, he does three things. First, he gives the reason for his leaving Judea. +Secondly, he explains certain facts included in this reason. Thirdly, he describes Christ’s +departure from Judea (v 3).</p> +<p>550 The Evangelist says, <span style="font-weight: bold">When, therefore, Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, +</span>because he wished to show that after the Baptist had calined the envy of his disciples, Jesus +avoided the ill will of the Pharisees.</p> +<p>551 Since we read: “All things were known to the Lord God before they were created” (Sir +23:29), and “All things are naked and open to his eyes” (Heb 4:13), it seems that we should ask +why Jesus is said to acquire new knowledge. We must answer that Jesus, in virtue of his divinity, +knew from eternity all things, past, present and to come, as the scriptural passages cited above +indicate. Nevertheless, as man, he did begin to know certain things through experiential +knowledge. And it is this experiential knowledge that is indicated when it says here, <span style="font-weight: bold">When Jesus +learned, </span>after the news was brought to him, <span style="font-weight: bold">that the Pharisees had heard. </span>And Christ willed +to acquire this knowledge anew as a concession, to show the reality of his human nature, just as +he willed to do and endure many other things characteristic of human nature.</p> +<p>552 Why does he say: <span style="font-weight: bold">the Pharisees had heard that he was making more disciples and +baptizing more than John, </span>when this would seem to be of no concern to them? For they +persecuted John and did not believe in him: for as Matthew says (21:25), when the Lord +questioned them about the source of John’s baptism, they said: “ ‘If we say from heaven, he will +say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” “ Thus they did not believe in John.</p> +<p>There are two answers to this. One is that those disciples of John who had spoken against Christ +were either Pharisees or allies of the Pharisees. For we see in Matthew (9:11, 14), that the +Pharisees along with the disciples of John raised questions against the disciples of Christ. And +so according to this explanation, then, the Evangelist says that <span style="font-weight: bold">When, therefore, Jesus learned +that the Pharisees had heard, </span>that is, after he learned that John’s disciples, who were Pharisees +or allied with the Pharisees, had raised questions and had been disturbed about his baptism and +that of his disciples, <span style="font-weight: bold">he left Judea.</span></p> +<p>Or, we might say that the Pharisees were disturbed at John’s preaching due to their envy, and for +this reason they persuaded Herod to arrest him. This is plain from Matthew (17:12), where +Christ, speaking of John, says, “Elijah has already come ... and they did with him whatever they +wanted,” and then he adds, “so also will the Son of Man suffer from them.” The Gloss comments +on this that it was the Pharisees who incited Herod to arrest John and put him to death. Thus it +seems probable that they felt the same way toward Christ because of what he was preaching. And +this is what it says, that is, the envious Pharisees and persecutors of Christ <span style="font-weight: bold">had heard, </span>with the +intention of persecuting him, <span style="font-weight: bold">that he was making more disciples and baptizing more than +John.</span></p> +<p>553 This kind of hearing is described by Job (28:22): “Death and destruction have said: We have +heard of his deeds.” The good, on the other hand, hear in order to obey: “We have heard him in +Ephrathah” (Ps 131:6), followed by, “We will adore at his footstool.”</p> +<p>The Pharisees heard two things. First, that Christ made more disciples than John. This was right +and reasonable, for as we read above (3:30), Christ must increase and John must decrease. The +second thing was that Christ baptized; and rightly so, because he cleanses: “Wash me from my +injustice” (Ps 50:4), and again in Psalm (7:7): “Rise up, O Lord,” by baptizing, “in the command +you have given,” concerning baptism, “and a congregation of people,” united through baptism, +“will surrond you.”</p> +<p>554 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">although Jesus did not himself baptize, </span>he explains what he has just +said about Christ’s baptizing. Augustine says that there is an apparent inconsistency here: for he +had stated that Jesus was baptizing, whereas now he says, as though correcting himself, <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus +did not himself baptize.</span></p> +<p>There are two ways to understand this. This first way is that of Chrysostom. What the Evangelist +now says is true, i.e., that Christ did not baptize. When he said above that Jesus was baptizing, +this was the report received by the Pharisees. For certain people came to the Pharisees and said: +You are envious of John because he has disciples and is baptizing. But Jesus is making more +disciples than John. and is also baptizing. Why do you put up with him? So the Evangelist is not +himself saying that Jesus was baptizing, but only that the Pharisees heard that he was. It is with +the intention of correcting this false rumor that the Evangelist says: It is true that the Pharisees +heard that Christ was baptizing, but this is not true. So he adds: <span style="font-weight: bold">although Jesus did not himself +baptize, but his disciples did. </span>And so for Chrysostom, Christ did not baptize, because the Holy +Spirit was not given at any time before the passion of Christ in the baptism of John and his +disciples. The purpose of John’s baptism was to accustom men to the baptism of Christ and to +gather people in order to instruct them, as he says. Moreover, it would not have been fitting for +Christ to baptize if the Holy Spirit were not given in his baptism; but the Spirit was not given +until after the passion of Christ, as we read below (7:39): “The Spirit had not yet been given, +because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”</p> +<p>According to Augustine, however, one should say, and this is the preferable, way, that the +disciples did baptize with the baptism of Christ, that is, in water and the Spirit, and the Spirit was +given in this baptism, and also that Christ did and did not baptize. Christ did baptize because he +performed the interior cleansing; but he did not baptize because he did not wash them externally +with the water. It was the office of’ the disciples to wash the body, while Christ gave the Spirit +which cleansed within. So in the proper sense Christ did baptize, according to: “The man on +whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit,” +as was said above (1:33).</p> +<p>With respect to the opinion of Chrysostorn that the Holy Spirit was not yet given and so on, we +might say that the Spirit was not yet given in visible signs, as he was given to the disciples after +the resurrection; nevertheless, the Spirit had been given and was being given to believers through +an interior sanctification.</p> +<p>The fact that Christ was not always baptizing gives an example to us that the major prelates of +the churches should not occupy themselves with things that can be performed by others, but +should allow them to be done by those of lesser rank: “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to +preach the Gospel” (1 Cor 1:17).</p> +<p>555 If someone should ask whether Christ’s disciples had been baptized, it could be said, as +Augustine answered Stelentius, that they had been baptized with the baptism of John, because +some of Christ’s disciples had been disciples of John. Or, which is more likely, they were +baptized with the baptism of Christ, in order that Christ might have baptized servants through +whom he would baptize others. This is the meaning of what is said below (13:10): “He who has +bathed does not need to wash, except his feet,” and then follows, “and you are clean, but not all.”</p> +<p>556 He then mentions Christ’s going away, <span style="font-weight: bold">he left Judea. </span>He left for three reasons. First, to get +away from the envy of the Pharisees, who were disturbed because of what they had heard about +Christ, and were preparing to harass him. By this he gives us the example that we should, with +gentleness, yield ground to evil for a time: “Do not pile wood on his fire” (Sir 8:4). Another +reason was to show us that it is not sinful to flee from persecution: “If they persecute you in one +town, flee to another” (Mt 10:23). The third reason was that the time of his passion had not yet +come: “My time has not yet come” (above 2:4). And there is an additional reason, a mystical one: +he indicated by his leaving that because of persecution the disciples were destined to abandon +the Jews and go to the Gentiles.</p> +<p>557 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">and went again to Galilee, </span>he shows where he was going. He says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">again, </span>because above (2:12) he had mentioned another time when Christ went to Galilee: when +he went to Capernaum after the miracle at the wedding. Since the other three evangelists did not +mention this first trip, the Evangelist says <span style="font-weight: bold">again </span>to let us know that the other evangelists had +mentioned none of the matters he mentions up to this point, and that he is now beginning to give +his account contemporaneous with theirs. According to one interpretation, Galilee is understood +to signify the Gentile world, to which Christ passed from the Jews; for Galilee means “passage.” +According to another interpretation, Galilee signifies the glory of heaven, for Galilee also means +“revelation.”</p> +<p>558 Then he describes the intermediate place through which Christ passed; first in a general way, +then specifically.</p> +<p>559 On his way to Galilee, Christ passes through Samaria; hence he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">He had to pass +through Samaria. </span>He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">had to pass, </span>lest he seem to be acting contrary to his own teaching, +for Christ says in Matthew (10:5): “Do not go on the roads of the Gentiles.” Now since Samaria +was Genthe territory, he shows that he went there of necessity and not by choice. Thus he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">had to pass, </span>the reason being that Samaria was between Judea and Galilee.</p> +<p>It was Amri, the king of Israel, who bought the hill of Samaria from a certain Somer (1 Kgs +16:24); and it was there he built the city which he called Samaria, after the name of the person +from whom he bought the land. After that, the kings of Israel used it as their royal city, and the +entire region surrounding this city was called Samaria. When we read here that Christ <span style="font-weight: bold">had to +pass through Samaria, </span>we should understand the region rather than the city.</p> +<p>560 Describing it in more detail, he adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">He came therefore to a city of Samaria, </span>i.e., of the +region of Samaria, <span style="font-weight: bold">called Sychar. </span>This Sychar is the same as Shechem. Genesis (33:18) says that +Jacob camped near here and that two of his sons, enraged at the rape of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, +by the son of the king of Shechem, killed all the males in that city. And so Jacob took possession +of the city, and he lived there and dug many wells. Later, as he lay dying, he gave the land to his +son Joseph: “I am giving you a portion more than your brothers” (Gn 48:22). And this is what +he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">near the plot of land which Jacob had given to his son Joseph.</span></p> +<p>The Evangelist is so careful to record all these matters in order to show us that all the things +which happened to the patriarchs were leading up to Christ, and that they pointed to Christ, and +that he descended from them according to the flesh.</p> +<p>561 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">This was the site of Jacob’s well, </span>the Evangelist gives the material +setting for the spiritual doctrine about to be taught. And this was most fitting: for the doctrine +about to be taught was about water and a spiritual font, and so he mentions the material well, thus +giving rise to a discussion of the spiritual font, which is Christ: “For with you is the fountain of +life” (Ps 35:10), namely, the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of life. Likewise, the well symbolizes +baptism: “On that day a fountain will be open to the house of David, to cleanse the sinner and +the unclean” (Zec 13:1).</p> +<p>He does three things here. First, he describes the well. Secondly, Christ’s rest at the well. Thirdly, +the time.</p> +<p>562 He describes the water source saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">the site of Jacob’s well. </span>Here one might object that +further on (v 11) he says this source is deep; thus it did not gush water like a fountain. I answer, +as does Augustine, that it was both a well and gushed water like a fountain. For every well is a +fountain, although the converse is not true. For when water gushes from the earth we have a +fountain; and if this happens just on the surface, the source is only a fountain. But if the water +gushes both on the surface and below, we have a well; although it is also still called a fountain. +It is called Jacob’s well because he had dug this well there due to a shortage of water, as we read +in Genesis (c 34).</p> +<p>563 <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus, tired from his journey, rested there at the well. </span>Jesus reveals his weakness (even +though his power was unlimited), not because of a lack of power, but to show us the reality of +the [human] nature he assumed. According to Augustine, Jesus is strong, for “In the beginning +was the Word” (above 1:1); but he is weak, for “the Word was made flesh” (above 1:14). And +so Christ, wishing to show the truth of his human nature, allowed it to do and to endure things +proper to men; and to show the truth of his divine nature, he worked and performed things proper +to God. Hence when he checked the inflow of divine power to his body, he became hungry and +tired; but w4en he let his divine power influence his body, he did not become hungry in spite of +a lack of food, and he did not become tired in his labors. “He had fasted forty days and forty +nights, and was hungry” (Mt 4:2).</p> +<p>564 Seeing Jesus becoming tired from his journey is an example to us not to shrink from our +work for the salvation of others: “I am poor, and have labored since my youth” (Ps,87:16). We +also have an example of poverty, as Jesus <span style="font-weight: bold">rested there, </span>upon the bare earth.</p> +<p>In its mystical meaning, this resting [literally, a sitting] of Christ indicates the abasement of his +passion: “You know when I sit down (i.e., the passion), and when I rise” (Ps 138:2). Also, it +indicates the authority of his teaching, for he speaks as one having power; thus we read in +Matthew (5:1) that Christ, “sitting down, taught them.”</p> +<p>565 He indicates the time, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">It was about the sixth hour. </span>There are both literal and +mystical reasons for fixing the time. The literal reason was to show the cause of his tiredness: for +men are more weary from work in the heat and at the sixth hour [at noon]. Again, it shows why +Christ was resting: for men gladly rest near the water in the heat of the day.</p> +<p>There are three mystical reasons for mentioning the time. First, because Christ assumed flesh and +came into the world in the sixth age of the world. Another is that man was made on the sixth day, +and Christ was conceived in the sixth month. Third, at the sixth hour the sun is at its highest, and +there is nothing left for it but to decline. In this context, the “sun” signifies temporal prosperity, +as suggested by Job (31:26): “If I had looked at the sun when it shone, etc.” Therefore Christ +came when the prosperity of the world was at its highest, that is, it flourished through love in the +hearts of men; but because of him natural love was bound to decline.</p> +<p>566 Next, we have a preliminary remark concerning the one who listens to Christ. First, we are +introduced to the person who is taught. Secondly, we are given her preparation for his teaching.</p> +<p>567 The teaching is given to a Samaritan woman; so he says, a <span style="font-weight: bold">Samaritan woman came to +draw water. </span>This woman signifies the Church, not yet justified, of the Gentiles. It was then +involved in idolatry, but was destined to be justified by Christ. She <span style="font-weight: bold">came </span>from foreigners, i.e., +from the Samaritans, who were foreigners, even though they lived in the neighboring territory: +because the Church of the Gentiles, foreign to the Jewish race, would come to Christ: “Many will +come from the East and the West, and will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the +kingdom of heaven,” as we find in Matthew (8:11).</p> +<p>568 Christ prepares this woman for his teaching when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Give me a drink. </span>First, we have +the occasion for his asking her. Secondly, the Evangelist suggests why it was opportune to make +this request (v 8).</p> +<p>569 The occasion and the preparation of the woman was the request of Christ; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Give +me a drink. </span>He asks for a drink both because he was thirsty for water on account of the heat of +the day, and because he thirsted for the salvation of man on account of his love. Accordingly, +while hanging on the cross he cried out: “I thirst.”</p> +<p>570 Christ had the opportunity to ask this of the woman because his disciples, whom he would +have asked for the water, were not there, thus the Evangelist says, <span style="font-weight: bold">His disciples had gone to the +town.</span></p> +<p>Here we might notice three things about Christ. First, his humility, because<span style="font-weight: bold"> he was left alone. +This </span>is an example to his disciples that they should suppress all pride. Someone might ask what +need there was to train the disciples in humility, seeing that they had been but lowly fishermen +and tentmakers. Those who say such things should remember that these very fishermen were +suddenly made more deserving of respect than any king, more eloquent than philosophers and +orators, and were the intimate companions of the Lord of creation. Persons of this kind, when +they are suddenly promoted, ordinarily become proud, not being accustomed to such great honor.</p> +<p>Secondly, note Christ’s temperance: for he was so little concerned about food that he did not +bring anything to eat. Thirdly, note that he was also left alone on the cross: “I have trodden the +wine press alone, and no one of the people was with me” (Is 63:3).</p> +<p>571 Our Lord prepared the woman to receive his spiritual teaching by giving her an occasion to +question him. First, her question is given. Secondly, her reason for asking it (v 9).</p> +<p>572 Here we should point out that our Lord, when asking the woman for a drink, had in mind +more a spiritual drink than a merely physical one. But the woman, not yet understanding about +such a spiritual drink, though only of a physical drink. So she responds: <span style="font-weight: bold">How is it that you, +being a Jew, ask me, a woman of Samaria, for a drink? </span>For Christ was a Jew, because it was +promised that he would be from Judah: “The scepter will not be taken away from Judah ... until +he who is to be sent comes” (Gn 49:10); and he was born from Judah: “It is evident that our Lord +came from Judah” (Heb 7:14). The woman knew that Christ was Jewish from the way he dressed: +for as Numbers (15:37) says, the Lord commanded the Jews to wear tassels on the comers of their +garments, and put a violet cord on each tassel, so that they could be distinguished from other +people.</p> +<p>573 Then the reason for this question is given: either by the Evangelist, as the Gloss says, or by +the woman herself, as Chrysostom says; the reason being, <span style="font-weight: bold">the Jews had nothing to do with +Samaritans.</span></p> +<p>Apropos of this, we should note that, as mentioned in 2 Kings, it was on account of their sins that +the people of Israel, i.e., of the ten tribes, who were worshipping idols, were captured by the king +of the Assyrians, and led as captives into Babylonia. Then, so that Samaria would not remain +unpopulated, the king gathered people from various nations and forced them to live there. While +they were there, the Lord sent lions and other wild beasts to trouble them; he did this to show that +he let the Jews be captured because of their sins, and not because of any lack in his own power. +When news of their trouble reached the Assyrian king and he was informed that this was +happening because these people were not observing the rites of the God of that territory, he sent +them a priest of the Jews who would teach them God’s law as found in the law of Moses. This +is why, although these people were not Jewish, they came to observe the Mosaic law. However, +along with their worship of the true God, they also worshipped idols, paid no attention to the +prophets, and referred to themselves as Samaritans, from the city of Samaria which was built on +a hill called Somer (1 Kgs 16:24). After the Jews returned to Jerusalem from their captivity, the +Samaritans were a constant source of trouble, and as we read in Ezra, interfered with their +building of the temple and the city. Although the Jews did not mix with other people, they +especially avoided these Samaritans and would have nothing to do with them. And this is what +we read: <span style="font-weight: bold">Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. </span>He does not say that the Samaritans do +not associate with Jews, for they would have gladly done so and have cooperated with them. But +the Jews rebuffed them in keeping with what is said in Deuteronomy (7:2): “Do not make +agreements with them.”</p> +<p>574 If it was not lawful for the Jews to associate with Samaritans, why did God ask a Samaritan +woman for a drink? One might answer, as Chrysostorn does, that the Lord asked her because he +knew that she would not give him the drink. But this is not an adequate answer, because one who +asks what is not lawful is not free from sin—not to mention the scandal—even though what he +asks for is not given to him. So we should say, as we find in Matthew (12:8): “The Son of Man +is Lord even of the sabbath.” Thus, as Lord of the law, he was able to use or not use the law and +its observances and legalities as it seemed suitable to him. And because the time was near when +the nations would be called to the faith, he associated with those nations.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 2</span></p> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>10 Jesus replied and said:</p> +<p style="margin-left: 0.5in">“If you knew the gift of God, +<br>and realized who it is who says to you, +<br>‘Give me a drink,’ +<br>You perhaps would have asked him +<br>that he give you living water.” +<p style="text-align: justify">11 The woman challenged him: “You, sir, have no bucket, and the well is deep. How then could +you have living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank +from it with his sons and his flocks?” 13 Jesus replied and said:</p> +<p style="margin-left: 0.5in">“Whoever drinks this water +<br>will be thirsty again, +<br>but whoever drinks the water that I give, +<br>will never be thirsty again. +<br>14 The water that I give +<br>will become a fountain within him, +<br>leaping up to provide eternal life.” +<p style="text-align: justify">15 “Lord,” the woman said, “Give me this water so that I shall not grow thirsty and have to keep +coming here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her: “Go, call your husband, and then come back +here.” 17 “1 have no husband,” replied the woman. Jesus said, “You are right in saying you have +no husband, 18 for you have had five, and the man you are living with now is not your husband. +What you said is true.” 19 “Sir,” said the woman, “I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors +worshiped on this mountain, but you people claim that Jerusalem is the place where men must +worship God.” 21 Jesus said to her:</p> +<p style="margin-left: 0.5in">“Believe me, woman, +<br>the hour is coming +<br>when you will worship the Father +<br>neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. +<br>22 You people worship what +<br>you do not understand, +<br>while we understand what we worship, +<br>since salvation is from the Jews. +<br>23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, +<br>when true worshipers will worship the Father +<br>in spirit and in truth. +<br>Indeed, it is just such worshipers the Father seeks. +<br>24 God is spirit, +<br>and those who worship him +<br>ought to worship in spirit and truth.” +<p style="text-align: justify">25 The woman said to him: “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called Christ; when he +comes he will tell us everything.” 26 Jesus replied:</p> +<p style="margin-left: 0.5in">“I who speak to you am he.”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>575 Now (v 10), the Evangelist gives us Christ’s spiritual teaching. First, he gives the teaching +itself. Secondly, the effect it had (v 27). As to the first, he does two things. First, a summary of +the entire instruction is given. Secondly, he unfolds it part by part (v 11).</p> +<p>576 He said therefore: You are amazed that I, a Jew, should ask you, a Samaritan woman, for +water; but you should not be amazed, because I have come to give drink, even to the Gentiles. +Thus he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">If you knew the gift of God, and realized who it is who says to you, Give me +a drink, you perhaps would have asked him.</span></p> +<p>577 We may begin with what is last, and we should know first what is to be understood by water. +And we should say that water signifies the grace of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes this grace is +called fire, and at other times water, to show that it is neither one of these in its nature, but like +them in the way it acts. It is called fire because it lifts up our hearts by its ardor and heat: “ardent +in Spirit” (Rom 12:11), and because it burns up sins: “Its light is fire and flame” (Sg 8:6). Grace +is called water because it cleanses: “I will pour clean water upon you, and you will be cleansed +from all your uncleanness” (Ez 36:25), and because it brings a refreshing relief from the heat of +temptations: “Water quenches a flaming fire” (Sir 3:33), and also because it satisfies our desires, +in contrast to our thirst for earthly things and all temporal things whatever: “Come to the waters, +all you who thirst” (Is 5 5:1 ).</p> +<p>Now water is of two kinds: living and non-living. Non-living water is water which is not +connected or united with the source from which it springs, but is collected from the rain or in +other ways into ponds and cisterns, and there it stands, separated from its source. But living water +is connected with its source and flows from it. So according to this understanding, the grace of +the Holy Spirit is correctly called living water, because the grace of the Holy Spirit is given to +man in such a way that the source itself of the grace is also given, that is, the Holy Spirit. Indeed, +grace is given by the Holy Spirit: “The love of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy +Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). For theHoly Spirit is the unfailing fountain from +whom all gifts of grace flow”One and the same Spirit does all these things” (1 Cor 1251,1.). And +so, if anyone has a gift of the Holy Spirit without having the Spirit, the water is not united with +its source, and so is not living but dead: “Faith without works is dead” (Jas 2:20).</p> +<p>578 Then we are shown that in the case of adults, living water, i.e., grace, is obtained by desiring +it, i.e., by asking. “The Lord has heard the desire of the poor” (Ps. 9:17), for grace is not given +to anyone without their asking and desiring it. Thus we say that in the justification of a sinner an +act of free will is necessary to detest sin and to desire grace, according to Matthew (7:7): “Ask +and you will receive.” In fact, desire is so important that even the Son himself is told to ask: “Ask +me, and I will give to you” (Ps 2:8). Therefore, no one who resists grace receives it, unless he +first desires it; this is clear is the case of Paul who, before he received grace, desired it, saying: +“Lord, what do you want me to do?” (Acts 9:6). Thus it is significant that he says, you perhaps +would have asked him. He says perhaps on account of free will, with which a person sometimes +desires and asks for grace, and sometimes does not.</p> +<p>579 There are two things which lead a person to desire and ask for grace: a knowledge of the +good to be desired and a knowledge of the giver. So, Christ offers these two to her. First of all, +a knowledge of the gift itself; hence he says, If you knew the gift of God, which is every desirable +good which comes from the Holy Spirit: “I know that I cannot control myself unless God grants +it to me” (Wis 8:2 1). And this is a gift of God, and so forth. Secondly, he mentions the giver; +and he says, and realized who it is who says to you, i.e., if you knew the one who can give it, +namely, that it is I: “When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit +of truth ... he will bear witness to me” (below 15:26); “You have given gifts to men” (Ps 67:19).</p> +<p>Accordingly, this teaching concerns three things: the gift of living water, asking for this gift, and +the giver himself.</p> +<p>580 When he says, The woman challenged him, he treats these three things explicitly. First, the +gift; secondly, asking for the gift (v 19); and thirdly, the giver (v 25). He does two things about +the first. First, he explains the gift by showing its power. Secondly, he considers the perfection +of the gift (v 15). About the first he does two things. First, he gives the woman’s request. +Secondly, Christ’s answer (v 13).</p> +<p>581 We should note, with respect to the first, that this Samaritan woman, because she was +sensual, understood in a worldly sense what the Lord understood in a spiritual sense: “The +sensual man does not perceive those things that pertain to the Spirit of God” ( 1 Cor 2:14). +Consequently, she tried to reject what our Lord said as unreasonable and impossible with the +following argument: You promise me living water; and it must come either from this well or +from another one. But it cannot come from this well because <span style="font-weight: bold">You, sir, have no bucket, and the +well is deep; </span>and it does not seem probable that you can get if from some other well, because you +are not <span style="font-weight: bold">greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well.</span></p> +<p>582 Let us first examine what she says, <span style="font-weight: bold">You, sir, have no bucket, </span>i.e., no pail to use to draw +water from the well, <span style="font-weight: bold">and the well is deep</span>, so you cannot reach the water by hand without a +bucket.</p> +<p>The depth of the well signifies the depth of Sacred Scripture and of divine wisdom: “It has great +depth. Who can find it out?” (Ecc 7:25). The bucket with which the water of wisdom is drawn +out is prayer: “If any of you lack wisdom, ask God” (Jas 1:5).</p> +<p>583 The second point is given at, <span style="font-weight: bold">Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this +well?</span> As if to say: Have you better water to give us than Jacob? She calls Jacob her father not +because the Samaritans were descendants of the Jews, as is clear from what was said before, but +because the Samaritans had the Mosaic law, and because they occupied the land promised to the +descendants of Jacob.</p> +<p>The woman praised this well on three counts. First, on the authority of the one who gave it; so +she says: our father Jacob, who gave us this well. Secondly, on account of the freshness of its +water, saying: Jacob drank from it with his sons: for they would not drink it if it were not fresh, +but only give it to their cattle. Thirdly, she praises its abundance, saying, and his flocks: for since +the water was fresh, they would not have given it to their flocks unless it were also abundant.</p> +<p>So, too, Sacred Scripture has great authority: for it was given by the Holy Spirit. It is delightfully +fresh: “How sweet are your words to my palate” (Ps 118:103). Finally, it is exceedingly +abundant, for it is given not only to the wise, but also to the unwise.</p> +<p>584 Then when he says, Jesus replied and said, he sets down the Lord’s response, in which he +explains the power of his doctrine. First, with respect to the fact that he had called it water. +Secondly, with respect to the fact that he called it living water (v 14).</p> +<p>585 He shows that his doctrine is the best water because it has the effect of water, that is, it takes +away thirst much more than does that natural water. He shows by this that he is greater than +Jacob. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus replied and said, </span>as if to say: You say that Jacob gave you a well; but +I will give you better water, because <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever drinks this water, </span>that is, natural water, or the +water of sensual desire and concupiscence, although it may satisfy his appetite for a while, <span style="font-weight: bold">will +be thirsty again, </span>because the desire for pleasure is insatiable: “When will I wake up and find +wine again?” (Prv 23:35). <span style="font-weight: bold">But whoever drinks the water, </span>that is, spiritual water, <span style="font-weight: bold">that I give, +will never be thirsty again. </span>“My servants will drink, and you will be thirsty,” as said in Isaiah +(65:13).</p> +<p>586 Since we read in Sirach (24:29): “Those who drink me will still thirst,” how is it possible +that we will never be thirsty if we drink this water of divine wisdom, since this Wisdom itself +says we will still thirst? I answer that both are true: because he who drinks the water that Christ +gives still thirsts and does not thirst. But whoever drinks natural water will become thirsty again +for two reasons. First, because material and natural water is not eternal, and it does not have an +eternal cause, but an impermanent one; therefore its effects must also cease: “All these things +have passed away like a shadow” (Wis 5:9). But spiritual water has an eternal cause, that is, the +Holy Spirit, who is the unfailing fountain of life. Accordingly, he who drinks of this will never +thirst; just as someone who had within himself a fountain of living water would never thirst.</p> +<p>The other reason is that there is a difference between a spiritual and a temporal thing. For +although each produces a thirst, they do so in different ways. When a temporal thing is possessed +it causes us to be thirsty, not for the thing itself, but for something else; while a spiritual thing +when possessed takes away the thirst for other things, and causes us to thirst for it. The reason +for this is that before temporal things are possessed, they are highly regarded and thought +satisfying; but after they are possessed, they are found to be neither so great as thought nor +sufficient to satisfy our desires, and so our desires are not satisfied but move on to something +else. On the other hand, a spiritual thing in not known unless it is possessed: “No one knows but +he who receives it” (Rv 2:17). So, when it is not possessed, it does not produce a desire; but once +it is possessed and known, then it brings pleasure and produces desire, but not to possess +something else. Yet, because it is imperfectly known on account of the deficiency of the one +receiving it, it produces a desire in us to possiss it perfectly. We read of this thirst: “My soul +thirsted for God, the living fountain” (Ps 41:2). This thirst is not completely taken away in this +world because in this life we cannot understand spiritual things; consequently, one who drinks +this water will still thirst for its completion. But he will not always be thirsty, as though the water +will run out, for we read (Ps 35:9): “They will be intoxicated from the richness of your house.” +In the life of glory, where the blessed drink perfectly the water of divine grace, they will never +be thirsty again: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for what is right,” that is, in this world, +“for they will be satisfied,” in the life of glory” (Mt 5:6).</p> +<p>587 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The water that I give will become a fountain within him, leaping up +to provide eternal life, </span>he shows from the movement of the water that his doctrine is living +water; thus he says that it is a leaping fountain: “The streams of the river bring joy to the city of +God” (Ps 45:4).</p> +<p>The course of material water is downward, and this is different from the course of spiritual water, +which is upward. Thus he says: I say that material water is such that it does not slake your thirst; +but the water that I give not only quenches your thirst, but it is a living water because it is united +with its source. Hence he says that this water <span style="font-weight: bold">will become a fountain within </span>one: a fountain +leading, through good works, to eternal life. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">leaping up</span>, that is, making us leap up, +<span style="font-weight: bold">to eternal life, </span>where there is no thirst: “He who believes in me, out of his heart there will flow +rivers “ that is, of good desires, “of living water” (below 7:38); “With you is the fountain of life” +(Ps 3 5:10).</p> +<p>588 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The woman said, </span>he states her request for the gift. First, her +understanding of the gift is noted. Secondly, the woman is found guilty (v 17). As was said, the +way to obtain this gift is by prayer and request. And so first, we have the woman’s request. +Secondly, Christ’s answer (v 16).</p> +<p>589 We should note with respect to the first that at the beginning of this conversation the woman +did not refer to Christ as “Lord,” but simply as a Jew, for she said: “How is it that you, being a +Jew, ask me, a woman of Samaria, for a drink?” But now as soon as she hears that he can be of +use to her and give her water, she calls him “Lord”: Lord, give me this water. For she was +thinking of natural water, and was subject to the two natural necessities of thirst and labor, that +is, of going to the well and of carrying the water. So she mentions these two things when asking +for the water: saying in reference to the first, <span style="font-weight: bold">so that I shall not grow thirsty; </span>and in reference +to the second, <span style="font-weight: bold">and have to keep coming here to draw water, </span>for man naturally shrinks from +labor: “They do not labor as other men” (Ps 72:5).</p> +<p>590 Then (v 16), the answer of Jesus is given. Here we should note that our Lord answered her +in a spiritual way, but she understood in a sensual way. Accordingly, this can be explained in two +ways. One way is that of Chrysostom, who says that our Lord intended to give the water of +spiritual instruction not only to her, but especially to her husband, for as is said, “Man is the head +of woman” (1 Cor 11:3), so that Christ wanted God’s precepts to reach women through men, and +“If the wife wishes to learn anything, let her ask her husband at home” (1 Cor 14:35). So he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Go, call your husband, and then come back here; </span>and then I will give it to you with him and +through him.</p> +<p>Augustine explains it another way, mystically. For as Christ spoke symbolically of water, he did +the same of her husband. Her husband, according to Augustine, is the intellect: for the will brings +forth and conceives because of the cognitive power that moves it; thus the will is like a woman, +while the reason, which moves the will, is like her husband. Here the woman, i.e., the will, was +ready to receive, but was not moved by the intellect and reason to a correct understanding, but +was still detained on the level of sense. For this reason the Lord said to her, Go, you who are still +sensual, <span style="font-weight: bold">call your husband, </span>call in the reasoning intellect so you can understand in a spiritual +and intellectual way what you now perceive in a sensual way; <span style="font-weight: bold">and then come back here, </span>by +understanding under the guidance of reason.</p> +<p>591 Here (v 17), the woman is found guilty by Christ. First, her answer is set down. Secondly, +the encounter in which she is found guilty by Christ.</p> +<p>592 As to the first, we should note that the woman, desiring to hide her wrongdoing, and +regarding Christ as only a mere man, did answer Christ truthfully, although she keep silent about +her sin, for as we read, “A fornicating woman will be walked on like dung in the road” (Sir 9:10). +She said, <span style="font-weight: bold">I have no husband. </span>This was true; for although she previously had a number of +husbands, five of them, she did not now have a lawful husband, but was just living with a man; +and it is for this that the Lord judges her.</p> +<p>593 Then the Evangelist reports that Jesus said to her: <span style="font-weight: bold">You are right in saying you have no +husband, </span>a legitimate husband; <span style="font-weight: bold">for you have had five, </span>before this one, <span style="font-weight: bold">and the man you are +living with now, </span>using as a husband, <span style="font-weight: bold">is not your husband. What you said is true, </span>because you +do not have a husband. The reason our Lord spoke to her about these things he had not learned +from her and which were her secrets, was to bring her to a spiritual understanding so that she +might believe there was something divine about Christ.</p> +<p>594 In the mystical sense, her five husbands are the five books of Moses: for, as was said, the +Samaritans accepted these. And so Christ says, <span style="font-weight: bold">you have had five, </span>and then follows +[understanding Christ’s words in a slightly different sense, as meaning:] <span style="font-weight: bold">and he whom you now +have, </span>i.e., he to whom you are now listening, i.e., Christ, <span style="font-weight: bold">is not your husband, </span>because you do +not believe.</p> +<p>This explanation, as Augustine says, is not very good. For this woman came to her present +“husband” after having left the other five, whereas those who come to Christ do not put aside the +five books of Moses. We should rather say, <span style="font-weight: bold">you have had five, </span>i.e., the five senses, which you +have used up to this time; but <span style="font-weight: bold">the man you are living with now, </span>i.e., an erring reason, with +which you still understand spiritual things in a sensual way, <span style="font-weight: bold">is not your </span>lawful <span style="font-weight: bold">husband, </span>but an +adulterer who is corrupting you. <span style="font-weight: bold">Call your husband, </span>i.e., your intellect, so that you may really +understand me.</p> +<p>595 Now the Evangelist treats of the request by which the gift is obtained, which is prayer. First +there is the woman’s inquiry about prayer. Secondly, Christ’s answer (v 21). Concerning the first +the woman does two things. First, she admits that Christ is qualified to answer her question. +Secondly, she asks the question (v 20).</p> +<p>596 And so this woman, hearing what Christ had told her about things that were secret, admits +that the one who up to now she believed was a mere man, is a prophet, and capable of settling +her doubts. For it is characteristic of prophets to reveal what is not present, and hidden: “He who +is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer” (I Sin 9:9). And so she says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Sir, I see that +you are a prophet. </span>As if to say: You show that you are a prophet by revealing hidden things to +me. It is clear from this, as Augustine says, that her husband was beginning to return to her. But +he did not return completely because she regarded Christ as a prophet: for although he was a +prophet—“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country” (Mt 13:57)—he was more +than a prophet, because he produces prophets: “Wisdom produces friends of God and prophets” +(Wis 7:27)</p> +<p>597 Then she asks her question about prayer, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Our ancestors worshiped on this +mountain, but you people claim that Jerusalern is the place where men must worship God. +</span>Here we should admire the woman’s diligence and attention: for women are considered curious +and unproductive, and not only unproductive, but also lovers of ease (1 Tim 5), whereas she did +not ask Christ about worldly affairs, or about the future, but about the things of God, in keeping +with the advice, “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Mt 6:33)</p> +<p>She first asks a question about a matter frequently discussed in her country, that is, about the +place to pray; this was the subject of argument between Jews and Samaritans. She says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Our +ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you people say. </span>We should mention that the +Samaritans, worshiping God according to the precepts of the law, built a temple in which to +adore him; and they did not go to Jerusalem where the Jews interfered with them. They built their +temple on Mount Gerizim, while the Jews built their temple on Mount Sion. The question they +debated was which of these places was the more fitting place of prayer; and each presented +reasons for its own side. The Samaritans said that Mount Gerizim was more fitting, because their +ancestors worshiped the Lord there. So she says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain.</span></p> +<p>598 How can this woman say, <span style="font-weight: bold">our ancestors, </span>since the Samaritans were not descended from +lsrael? The answer, according to Chrysostom, is that some claim that Abraham offered his son +on that mountain; but others claim that is was on Mount Zion. Or, we could say that <span style="font-weight: bold">our +ancestors </span>means Jacob and his sons, who as stated in Genesis (33) and as mentioned before, +lived in Shechem, which is near Mount Gerizim, and who probably worshiped the Lord there on +that mountain. Or it could be said that the children of Israel worshiped on this mountain when +Moses ordered them to ascend Mount Gerizim that he might bless those who observed God’s +precepts, as recorded in Deuteronorny (6). And she calls them her ancestors either because the +Samaritains observed the law given to the children of Israel, or because the Samaritans were now +living in the land of Israel, as said before.</p> +<p>The Jews said that the place to worship was in Jerusalem, by command of the Lord, who, had +said: “Take care not to offer your holocausts in every place, but offer them in the place the Lord +will choose” (Dt 12:13). At first, this place of prayer was in Shiloh, and then after, on the +authority of Solomon and the prophet Nathan, the arc was taken from Shiloh to Jerusalem, and +it was there the temple was built: so we read: “He left the tabernacle in Shiloh,” and a few verses +later, “But he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved” (Ps 77:60). Thus the +Samaritans appealed to the authority of the patriarchs, and the Jews appealed to the authority of +the prophets, whom the Samaritans did not accept. This is the issue the woman raises. It is not +surprising that she was taught about this, for it often happens in places where there are +differences in beliefs that even the simple people are instructed about them. Because the +Samaritans were continually arguing with the Jews over this, it came to the knowledge of the +women and ordinary people.</p> +<p>599 Christ’s answer is now set down (v 21). First he distinguishes three types of prayer. +Secondly, he compares them to each other (v 22).</p> +<p>600 As to the first, he first of all gains the woman’s attention, to indicate that he was about to say +something important, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Believe me, </span>and have faith, for faith is always necessary: “To come +to God, one must believe” (Heb 11:6); “If you do not believe, you will not understand” (Is 7:9).</p> +<p>Secondly, he mentions the three kinds of worship: two of these were already being practiced, and +the third was to come. Of the two that were current, one was practiced by the Samaritans, who +worshiped on Mount Gerizini-, he refers to this when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the hour is coming when you will +worship the Father neither on this mountain, </span>of Gerizim. The other way was that of the Jews, +who prayed on Mount Zion; and he refers to this when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">nor in Jerusalem.</span></p> +<p>The third type of worship was to come, and it was different from the other two. Christ alludes +to this by excluding the other two: for if the hour is coming when they will no longer worship on +Mount Gerizim or in Jerusalem, then clearly the third type to which Christ refers will be a +worship that does away with the other two. For if someone wishes to unite two people, it is +necessary to eliminate that over which they disagree, and give them something in common on +which they will agree. And so Christ, wishing to unite the Jews and Gentiles, eliminated the +observances of the Jews and the idolatry of the Gentiles; for these two were like a wall separating +the peoples. And he made the two people one: “He is our peace, he who has made the two of us +one” (Eph 2:14). Thus the ritual observances [of the Jews] and the idolatry of the Gentiles were +abolished, and the true worship of God established by Christ.</p> +<p>601 As for the mystical sense, and according to Origen, the three types of worship are three kinds +of participation in divine wisdom. Some participate in it under a dark cloud of error, and these +adore on the mountain: for every error springs from pride: “I am against you, destroying +mountain” (Jer 51:25). Others participate in divine wisdom without error, but in an imperfect +way, because they see in a mirror and in an obscure way; and these worship in Jerusalem, which +signifies the present Church: “The Lord is building Jerusalem” (Ps 146:2). But the blessed and +the saints participate in divine wisdom without error in a perfect way, for they see God as he is, +as said in 1 John (3:2). And so Christ says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the hour is coming, </span>i.e., is waited for, when you will +participate in divine wisdom neither in error nor in a mirror in an obscure way, but as it is.</p> +<p>602 Then (v 22), he compares the different kinds of worship to each other. First, he compares the +second to the first, Secondly, the third to the first and second (v 23). As to the first he does three +things. First, he shows the shortcomings of the first type of worship. Secondly, the truth of the +second (v 22b). Thirdly, the reason for each statement.</p> +<p>603 As to the first he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">You people worship what you do not understand.</span></p> +<p>Some might think that the Lord should have explained the truth of the matter and solve the +woman’s problem. But the Lord does not bother to do so because each of these kinds of worship +was due to end.</p> +<p>As to his saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">You people worship, </span>and so on, it should be pointed out that, as the +Philosopher says, knowledge of complex things is different than knowledge of simple things. For +something can be known about complex things in such a way that something else about them +remains unknown; thus there can be false knowledge about them. For example, if someone has +true knowledge of an animal as to its substance, he might be in error touching the knowledge of +one of its accidents, such as whether it is black or white; or of a difference, such as whether it has +wings or is four-footed. But there cannot be false knowledge of simple things: because they are +either perfectly known inasmuch as their quiddity is known; or they are not known at all, if one +cannot attain to a knowledge of them. Therefore, since God is absolutely simple, there cannot be +false knowledge of him in the sense that something might be known about him and something +remain unknown, but only in the sense that knowledge of him is not attained. Accordingly, +anyone who believes that God is something that he is not, for example, a body, or something like +that, does not adore God but something else, because he does not know him, but something else.</p> +<p>Now the Samaritans had a false idea of God in two ways. First of all, because they thought he +was corporeal, so that they believed that he should be adored in only one definite corporeal place. +Further, because they did not believe that he transcended all things, but was equal to certain +creatures, they adored along with him certain idols, as if they were equal to him. Consequently, +they did not know him, because they did not attain to a true knowledge of him. So the Lord says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">You people worship what you do not understand, </span>i.e., you do not adore God because you do +not know him, but only soipe imaginary being you think is God, “as the Gentiles do, with their +foolish ideas” (Eph 4:17).</p> +<p>604 As to the second, i.e., the truth of the worship of the Jews, he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">we understand what we +worship. </span>He includes himself among the Jews, because he was a Jew by race, and because the +woman thought he was a prophet and a Jew. <span style="font-weight: bold">We understand what we worship, </span>because through +the law and the prophets the Jews acquired a true knowledge or opinion of God, in that they did +not believe that he was corporeal nor in one definite place, as though his greatness could be +enclosed in a place: “If the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain you, how +much less this house that I have built” (1 Kgs 8:27). And neither did they worship idols: “God +is known in Judah” (Ps 75:2).</p> +<p>605 He gives the reason for this when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">since salvation is from the Jews. </span>As if to say: +The true knowledge of God was possessed exclusively by the Jews, for it had been determined +that salvation would come from them. And as the source of health should itself be healthy, so the +source of salvation, which is acquired by the true knowledge and the true worship of God, should +possess the true knowledge of God. Thus, since the source of salvation and its cause, i.e., Christ, +was to come from them, according to the promise in Genesis (22:18): “All the nations will be +blessed in your descendents,” it was fitting that God be known in Judah.</p> +<p>606 Salvation comes from the Jews in three ways. First in their teaching of the truth, for all other +peoples were in error, while the Jews held fast to the truth, according to Romans (3:2): “What +advantage do Jews have? First, they were entrusted with the words of God.” Secondly, in their +spiritual gifts: for prophecy and the other gifts of the Spirit were given to them first, and from +them they reached others: “You,” i.e., the Gentiles, “a wild olive branch, are ingrafted on them,” +i.e., on the Jews (Rom 11:17); “If the Gentiles have become sharers in their (i.e., the Jews’) +spiritual goods, they ought to help the Jews as to earthly goods” (Rom 15:27). Thirdly, since the +very author of salvation is from the Jews, since “Christ came from then in the flesh” (Rom 9:5).</p> +<p>607 Now (v 23), he compares the third kind of worship to the first two. First, he mentions its +superiority to the others. Secondly, how appropriate this kind of worship is (v 23b).</p> +<p>608 As to the first point, we should note, as Origen says, that when speaking above of the third +kind of worship, the Lord said, <span style="font-weight: bold">the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither +on this mountain nor in Jerusalem; </span>but he did not then add, <span style="font-weight: bold">and is now here. </span>But now, in +speaking of it, he does say, <span style="font-weight: bold">the hour is coming, and is now here. </span>The reason is because the first +time he was speaking of the worship found in heaven, when we will participate in the perfect +knowledge of God, which is not possessed by those still living in this mortal life. But now he is +speaking of the worship of this life, and which has now come through Christ.</p> +<p>609 So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship +the Father in spirit and in truth.</span></p> +<p>We can understand this, as Chrysostom does, as showing the superiority of this worship to that +of the Jews. So that the sense is: Just as the worship of the Jews is superior to that of the +Samaritans, so the worship of the Christians is superior to that of the Jews. It is superior in two +respects. First, because the worship of the Jews is in bodily rites: “Rites for the body, imposed +only until the time they are reformed” (Heb 9:10); while the worship of the Christians is in spirit. +Secondly, because the worship of the Jews is in symbols: for the Lord was not pleascd with their +sacrificial victims insofar as they were things; so we read, “Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink +the blood of goats?” (Ps 49:13), and again, “You would not be pleased with a holocaust” (Ps +50:18), that is, as a particular thing; but such a sacrificial victim would be pleasing to the Lord +as a symbol of the true victim and of the true sacrifice: “The law has only a shadow of the good +things to come” (Heb 10:1). But the worship of the Christians is in truth, because it is pleasing +to God in itself: “grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ,” as we saw above (1:17). So +he is saying here that <span style="font-weight: bold">true worshipers will worship in spirit, </span>not in bodily rites, <span style="font-weight: bold">and in truth, +</span>not in symbols.</p> +<p>610 This passage can in interpreted in a second way, by saying that when our Lord says, <span style="font-weight: bold">in spirit +and in truth, </span>he wants to show the difference between the third kind of worship and not just that +of the Jews, but also that of the Samaritans. In this case, <span style="font-weight: bold">in truth, </span>refers to the Jews: for the +Samaritans, as was said, were in error, because they worshiped what they did not understand. But +the Jews worshiped with a true knowledge of God.</p> +<p>611 <span style="font-weight: bold">In spirit and in truth </span>can be understood in a third way, as indicating the characteristics of +true worship. For two things are necessary for a true worship: one is that the worship be spiritual; +so he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">in spirit, </span>i.e., with fervor of spirit: “I will pray with spirit, and I will pray with my +mind” (1 Cor 14:15); “Singing to the Lord in your hearts” (Eph 5:19). Secondly, the worship +should be <span style="font-weight: bold">in truth. </span>First, in the truth of faith, because no fervent spiritual desire is meritorious +unless united to the truth of faith, “Ask with faith, without any doubting” (Jas 1:6). Secondly, <span style="font-weight: bold">in +truth, </span>i.e., without pretense or hypocrisy; against such attitudes we read: “They like to pray at +street cofners, so people can see them” (Mt 6:5).</p> +<p>This prayer, then, requires three things: first, the fervor of love; secondly, the truth of faith; and +thirdly, a correct intention.</p> +<p>He says, the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, because under the law, +worship was not given to the Father, but to the Lord. We worship in love, as sons; whereas they +worshiped in fear, as slaves.</p> +<p>612 He says <span style="font-weight: bold">true </span>worshipers, in opposition to three things mentioned in the above +interpretations. First, in opposition to the false worship of the Samaritans: “Put aside what is not +true, and speak the truth” (Eph 4:25). Secondly, in opposition to the fruitless and transitory +character of bodily rites: “Why do you love what is without profit, and seek after lies” (Ps 4:3). +Thirdly, it is opposed to what is symbolic: “Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ” +(above 1:17).</p> +<p>613 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Indeed, it is just such worshipers the Father seeks, </span>he shows that this +third kind of worship is appropriate for two reasons. First, because the One worshiped wills and +accepts this worship. Secondly, because of the nature of the One worshiped (v 24).</p> +<p>614 Concerning the first, we should note that for a man to merit receiving what he asks, he +should ask for things which are not in opposition to the will of the giver, and also ask for them +in a way which is acceptable to the giver. And so when we pray to God, we ought to be such as +God seeks. But God seeks those who will worship him in spirit and in truth, in the fervor of love +and in the truth of faith; “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God want from you, but that +you fear the Lord your God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord your God +with all your heart” (Dt 10:12); and in Micah (6:8): “1 will show you, man, what is good, and +what the Lord requires of you: to do what is right, and to love mercy, and to walk attentively with +your God.”</p> +<p>615 Then he shows that the third type of worship is appropriate from the very nature of God, +saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">God is spirit. </span>As is said in Sirach (13:19), “Every animal loves its like”; and so God +loves us insofar as we are like him. But we are not like him by our body, because he is +incorporeal, but in what is spiritual in us, for <span style="font-weight: bold">God is spirit: </span>“Be renewed in the spirit,” of your +mind (Eph 4:23).</p> +<p>In saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">God is spirit, </span>he means that God is incorporeal: “A spirit does not have flesh and +bones” (Lk 24:39); and also that he is a life-giver, because our entire life is from God, as its +creative source. God is also truth: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (below 14:6). +Therefore, we should worship him in spirit and in truth.</p> +<p>616 When he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The woman said to him, </span>he mentions the one who gives the gift; and this +corresponds to what our Lord said before, <span style="font-weight: bold">If you knew the gift of God, and realized who it is +who says to you, Give me a drink, you perhaps would have asked him. </span>First, we have the +woman’s profession. Secondly, the teaching of Christ (v 26). As to the first, he does two things. +First, the woman professes her faith in the Christ to come. Secondly, in the fulness of his +teaching, <span style="font-weight: bold">he will tell us everything.</span></p> +<p>617 The woman, wearied by the profound nature of what Christ was saying, was confused and +unable to understand all this. She says: <span style="font-weight: bold">I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called +Christ. </span>As if to say: I do not understand what you are saying, but a time will come when the +Messiah will arrive, and then we will understand all these things. For “Messiah” in Hebrew +means the same as “Anointed One” in Latin, and “Christ” in Greek. She knew that the Messiah +was coming because she had been taught by the books of Moses, which foretell the coming of +Christ: “The scepter will not be taken away from Judah ... until he who is to be sent comes” (Gn +49:10). As Augustine says, this is the first time the woman mentions the name “Christ”: and we +see by this that she is now beginning to return to her lawful husband.</p> +<p>618 When this Messiah comes, he will give us a complete teaching. Hence she says, <span style="font-weight: bold">when he +comes he will tell us everything. </span>This was foretold by Moses: “I will raise up a prophet for +them, from among their own brothers, like them; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he +will tell them all I command him” (Dt 18:18). Because this woman had now called her husband, +i.e., intellect and reason, the Lord now offers her the water of spiritual teaching by revealing +himself to her in a most excellent way.</p> +<p>619 And so Jesus says: <span style="font-weight: bold">I who speak to you am he, </span>i.e., I am the Christ: “Wisdom goes to meet +those who desire her, so she may first reveal herself to them” (Wis 6:14), and below (14:21): “I +will love him, and reveal myself to him.”</p> +<p>Our Lord did not reveal himself to this woman at once because it might have seemed to her that +he was speaking out of vainglory. But now, having brought her step by step to a knowledge of +himself, Christ revealed himself at the appropriate time: “Words appropriately spoken are like +apples of gold on beds of silver” (Prv 25:11). In contrast, when he was asked by the Pharisees +whether he was the Christ, “If you are the Christ, tell us clearly” (below 10:24), he did not reveal +himself to them clearly, because they did not ask to learn but to test him. But this woman is +speaking in all simplicity.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 3</span></p> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p style="text-align: justify">27 His disciples, returning at this point, were amazed that Jesus was speaking with a woman. But +no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman then left her +water jar and went off to the town. And she said to the people: 29 “Come, and see the man who +told me everything that I have done. Could he not be the Christ?” 30 At that they set out from the +town to meet him. 31 Meanwhile, his disciples asked him saying, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But +he said to them,</p> +<p style="margin-left: 0.5in">“I have food to eat of which you do not know.”</p> +<p>33 At this the disciples said to one another, “Do you suppose that someone has brought him +something to eat?”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>620 After presenting the teaching on spiritual water, the Evangelist now deals with the effect of +this teaching. First, he sets down the effect itself. Secondly, he elaborates on it (v 3 1). The effect +of this teaching is its fruit for those who believe. And first we have its fruit which relates to the +disciples, who were surprised at Christ’s conduct. Secondly, its fruit in relation to the woman, +who proclaimed Christ’s power (v 28).</p> +<p>621 We are told three things about the disciples. First, their return to Christ: he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">His +disciples, returning at this point. </span>As Chrysostorn reminds us, it was very convenient that the +disciples returned after Christ had revealed himself to the woman, since this shows us that all +events are regulated by divine providence: “He made the small and the great, and takes care for +all alike” (Wis 6:8); “There is a time and fitness for everything” (Ecc 8:6).</p> +<p>622 Secondly, we see their surprise at what Christ was doing; he says, they <span style="font-weight: bold">were amazed that +Jesus was speaking with a woman. </span>They were amazed at what was good; and as Augustine +says, they did not suspect any evil. They were amazed at two things. First, at the extraordinary +gentleness and humility of Christ: for the Lord of the world stooped to speak with a poor woman, +and for a long time, giving us an example of humility: “Be friendly to the poor” (Sir 4:7). +Secondly, they were amazed that he was speaking with a Samaritan and a foreigner, for they did +not know the mystery by which this woman was a symbol of the Church of the Gentiles; and +Christ sought the Gentiles, for he came “to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10).</p> +<p>623 Thirdly, we see the disciples’ reverence for Christ, shown by their silence. For we show our +reverence for God when we do not presume to discuss his affairs: “It is to the glory of God to +conceal things; and to the glory of kings to search things out” (Prv 25:2). So the Evangelist says +that although his disciples were surprised, none of them said, <span style="font-weight: bold">What do you want? </span>or asked him, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Why are you talking to her? </span>“Listen in silence” (Sir 32:9). Yet the disciples had been so trained +to observe order, because of their reverence and filial fear toward Christ, that now and then they +would question him about matters that concerned themselves, i.e., when Christ said things +relating to them, but which were beyond their understanding: “Young men, speak if you have to” +(Sir 3 2:10). At other times they did not question him; in those matters that were not their +business, as here.</p> +<p>624 Then (v 28), we have the fruit which relates to the woman; by what she said to her people, +she was taking on the role of an apostle. From what she says and does, we can learn three things. +First, her affective devotion; secondly, her way of preaching; thirdly the effect her preaching had +(v 30).</p> +<p>625 Her affection is revealed in two ways. First, because her devotion was so great that she forgot +why she had come to the well, and left without the water and her water jar. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the +woman then left her water jar and went off to the town, </span>to tell of the wonderful things Christ +had done; and she was not now concerned for her own bodily comfort but for the welfare of +others. In this respect she was like the apostles, who “leaving their nets, followed the Lord” (Mt +4:20). The water jar is a symbol of worldly desires, by which men draw out pleasures from the +depths of darkness—symbolized by the well—i.e., from a worldly manner of life. Accordingly, +those who abandon worldly desires for the sake of God leave their water jars: “No soldier of God +becomes entangled in the business of this world” (2 Tim 2:4). Secondly, we see her affection +from the great number of those to whom she brings the news: not to just one or two, but to the +entire town; we read that she <span style="font-weight: bold">went off to the town. </span>This signifies the duty Christ gave to the +apostles: “Go, teach all nations” (Mt 28:19); and “I have chosen you to go and bring forth fruit” +(below 15:16).</p> +<p>626 Next we see her manner of preaching (v 29). She first invites them to see Christ, saying, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Come and see the man. </span>Although she had heard Christ say that he was the Christ, she did not +at once tell the people that they should come to the Christ, or believe, so as not to give them a +reason for scoffing. So at first she mentions things that were believable and evident about Christ, +as that he was a man: “made in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:7). Neither did she say, “believe,” +but <span style="font-weight: bold">Come, and see</span>; for she was convinced that if they were to taste from that well by seeing him, +they would be affected in the same way she was: “Come, and I will tell you the great things he +has done for me” (Ps 65:16). In this she is imitating the example of a true preacher, not calling +men to himself, but to Christ: “What we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:5).</p> +<p>627 Secondly, she mentions a clue to Christ’s divinity, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">who told me everything that I +have done, </span>that is, how many husbands she had had. For it is the function and sign of the divinity +to disclose hidden things and the secrets of hearts. Although the things she had done would cause +her shame, she is still not ashamed to mention them; for as Chrysostom says: “When the soul is +on fire with the divine fire, it no longer pays attention to earthly things, neither to glory nor to +shame, but only to that flame that holds it fast.”</p> +<p>628 Thirdly, she infers the greatness of Christ, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Could he not be the Christ? </span>She did not +dare to say that he was the Christ, lest she seem to be trying to teach them; they could have +become angry at this and refuse to go with her. Yet she was not entirely silent on this point, but +submitting it to their judgment, set it forth in the form of a question, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Could he not be the +Christ? </span>For this is an easier way to persuade someone.</p> +<p>629 This insignificant woman signifies the condition of the apostles, who were sent out to +preach: “Not many of you are learned in the worldly sense, not many powerful ... But God chose +the simple ones of the world to embarrass the wise” (1 Cor 1:26). Thus in Proverbs (9:3) the +apostles are called handmaids: “She,” divine wisdom, i.e., the Son of God, “sent out her +handmaids,” the apostles, “to summon to the tower.”</p> +<p>630 The fruit of her preaching is given when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">At that </span>they set <span style="font-weight: bold">out from the town, </span>to +where she had returned, to meet him, Christ. We see by this that if we desire to come to Christ, +we must set out from the town, i.e., leave behind our carnal desires: “Let us go out to him outside +the camp, bearing the abuse he took,” as we read in Hebrews (13:13).</p> +<p>631 Now the effect of this spiritual teaching is elaborated. First, by what Christ said to his +disciples; secondly, by the effect of all this on the Samaritans (v 39). Concerning the first he does +two things. First, we have the situation in which Christ speaks to his disciples; secondly, what +he said (v 32).</p> +<p>632 The situation is the insistence of the apostles that Christ eat. He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Meanwhile, </span>i.e., +between the time that Christ and the woman spoke and the Samaritans came, <span style="font-weight: bold">his disciples asked +him, </span>that is, Christ, <span style="font-weight: bold">Rabbi, eat something: </span>for they thought that then was a good time to eat, +before the crowds came from the town. For the disciples did not usually offer Christ food in the +presence of strangers: so we read in Mark (6:3 1), that so many people came to him that he did +not even have time to eat.</p> +<p>633 After presenting the situation, he gives its fruit. First, it is given in figurative language. +Secondly, we see the disciples are slow in understanding this. Thirdly, the Lord explains what +he meant (v 34).</p> +<p>634 The fruit of his spiritual teaching is proposed under the symbols of’ food and nourishment, +so the Lord says, <span style="font-weight: bold">I have food to eat. </span>We Should note that just as bodily nourishment is +incomplete miless there is both food and drink, so also both Should be found in spirittial +notirishment: “The Lord fed him with the bread of life and understanding,” this is the food, “and +gave him a drink of the water of saving wisdom,” and this is the drink (Sir 15:3). So it was +appropriate for Christ to speak of food after having given drink to the Samaritan woman. And +just as water is a symbol for saving wisdom, so food is a symbol of good works.</p> +<p>The food that Christ had to eat is the salvation of men; this was what he desired. When he says +that he has food to eat, he shows how great a desire he has for our salvation. For just as we desire +to eat when we are hungry, so he desires to save us: “My delight is to be with the children of +men” (Prv 8:3 1). So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">I have food to eat, </span>i.e., the conversion of the nations, <span style="font-weight: bold">of which you +do not know; </span>for they had no way of knowing beforehand about this conversion of the nations.</p> +<p>635 Origen explains this in a different way, as follows. Spiritual food is like bodily food. The +same amount of bodily food is not enough for everyone; some need more, others less. Again, +what is good for one is harmful to another. The same thing happens in spiritual nourishment: for +the same kind and amount should not be given to everyone, but adjusted to what is appropriate +to the disposition and capacity of each. “Like newborn babes, desire spiritual milk” (1 Pt 2:2). +Solid food is for the perfect; thus Origen says that the man who understands the loftier doctrine, +and who has charge of others in spiritual matters, can teach this doctrine to those who are weaker +and have less understanding. Accordingly, the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians (3:2): “Being little +ones in Christ, I gave you milk, not solid food.” And Jesus could say this with much more truth: +<span style="font-weight: bold">I have food to eat</span>; and “I have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now” (below +16:12).</p> +<p>636 The slowness of the disciples to understand these matters is implied by the fact that what our +Lord said about spiritual food, they understood as referring to bodily food. For even they were +still without understanding, as we see from Matthew (15:16). It is not surprising that this +Samaritan woman did not understand about spiritual water, for even the Jewish disciples did not +understand about spiritual food.</p> +<p>In their saying to each other, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do you suppose that someone has brought him something to +eat? </span>we should note that it was customary for Christ to accept food from others; but not because +he needs our goods: “He does not need our goods” (Ps 15:2), nor our food, because it is he who +gives food to every living thing.</p> +<p>637 Then why did he desire and accept goods from others? For two reasons. First, so that those +who give him these things might acquire merit. Secondly, in order to give us an example. that +those engrossed in spiritual matters should not be ashamed of their poverty, nor regard it +burdensome to be supported by others. For it is fitting that teachers have others provide their food +so that, being free from such concerns, they may carefully pay attention to the ministry of the +word, as Chrysostorn says, and as we find in the Gloss. “Let the elders who rule well be regarded +as worthy of a double compensation; especially those concerned with preaching and teaching (1 +Tim 5:17).</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in">LECTURE 4</p> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p style="text-align: justify">34 Jesus explained to them,</p> +<p style="margin-left: 0.5in">“My food is to do the will of him +<br>who sent me, to accomplish his work. +<br>35 Do you not have a saying: +<br>‘There are still four months, and it will be harvest time’? +<br>So I say to you: Lift up your eyes, +<br>look at the fields, because they are +<br>already white for the harvest! +<br>36 He who reaps receives his wages +<br>and gathers fruit for eternal life, +<br>so that the sower can rejoice +<br>at the same time as the reaper. +<br>37 For here the saying is verified: +<br>‘One man sows, another reaps.’ +<br>38 I have sent you to reap +<br>what you have not worked for. +<br>Others have done the work, +<BR>and you have entered into their labors.”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>638 Since the disciples were slow to understand the Lord’s figure of speech, the Lord now +explains it. First, we have its explanatiot; secondly, its application (v 35).</p> +<p>639 As to the first, we should note that just as Christ explained to the Samaritan woman what he +had told her in figurative language about water, so he explains to his apostles what he told them +in figurative language about food. But he does not do so in the same way in both cases. Since the +apostles were able to understand these matters more easily, he explains to them at once and in +few words; but to the Samaritan woman, since she Could not understand as well, our Lord leads +her to the truth with a longer explanation.</p> +<p>640 It is perfectly reasonable for Christ to say, <span style="font-weight: bold">My food is to do the will of him who sent me, +to accomplish his work. </span>For as bodily food sustains a man and brings him to perfection, the +spiritual food of the soul and of the rational creature is that by which he is sustained and +perfected; and this consists in being joined to his end and following a higher rule. David, +understanding this, said: “For me, to adhere to God is good” (Ps 72:28). Accordingly, Christ, as +man, fittingly says that his food is to do the will of God, to accomplish his work.</p> +<p>641 These two expressions can be understood as meaning the same thing, in the sense that the +second is explaining the first. Or, they can be understood in different ways.</p> +<p>If we understand them as meaning the same, the sense is this: My food is, i.e., in this is my +strength and nourishment, <span style="font-weight: bold">to do the will of him who sent me; </span>according to, “My God, I desired +to do your will, and your law is in my heart” (Ps 39:9), and, “I came down from heaven not to +do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (below 6:38). But because “to do the will” +(<i>facere voluntatem</i>)<i> </i>of another can be understood in two ways—one, by making him will it, and +second, by fulfilling what I know he wills—therefore, explaining what it means to do the will of +him who sent him, the Lord says, <span style="font-weight: bold">to accomplish his work, </span>that is, that I might complete the +work I know he wants: “I must do the works of him who sent me while it is day” (below 9:4).</p> +<p>If these two expressions are understood as different, then we should point out that Christ did two +things in this world. First, he taught the truth, in inviting and calling us to the faith; and by this +he fulfilled the will of the Father: “This is the will of my Father, who sent me: that everyone who +sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life” (below 6:40). Secondly, he +accomplished the truth by opening in us, by his passion, the gate of life, and by giving us the +power to arrive at complete truth: “I have accomplished the work which you gave me to do” +(below 17:4). Thus he is saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">My food is to do the will of him who sent me, </span>by calling men +to the faith, <span style="font-weight: bold">to accomplish his work, </span>by leading them to what is perfect.</p> +<p>642 Another interpretation, given by Origen, is that every man who does good works should +direct his intention to two things: the honor of God and the good of his neighbor: for as it is said: +“The end of the commandment is love” (1 Tim 1:5), and this love embraces both God and our +neighbor. And so, when we do something for God’s sake, the end of the commandment is God; +but when it is for our neighbor’s good, the end of the commandment is our neighbor. With this +in mind, Christ is saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">My food is to do the will of him who sent me, </span>God, i.e., to direct md +regulate my intention to those matters that concern the honor of God, <span style="font-weight: bold">to accomplish his work, +</span>i.e., to do things for the benefit and perfection of man.</p> +<p>643 On the other hand, since the works of God are perfect, it does not seem proper to speak of +accomplishing or completing them. I answer that among lower creatures, man is the special work +of God, who made him to his own image and likeness (Gn 1:26). And in the beginning God made +this a perfect work, because as we read in Ecclesiastes (7:30): “God made man upright.” But +later, man lost this perfection by sin, and abandoned what was right. And so, this work of the +Lord needed to be repaired in order to become right again; and this was accomplished by Christ, +for “Just as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one +man, many will be made just” (Rom 5:19). Thus Christ says, to <span style="font-weight: bold">accomplish his work, </span>i.e., to +bring man back to what is perfect.</p> +<p>644 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do you not have a saying: There are still four months, and it will +be harvest time? </span>he makes use of a simile. Note that when Christ asked the Samaritan woman +for a drink, “Give me a drink,” he made use of a simile concerning water. But here, the the +disciples are urging the Lord to eat, and now he makes use of a simile concerning spiritual food.</p> +<p>There are some persons whom God asks for a drink, as this Samaritan woman; and there are +some who offer a drink to God. But no one offers food to God unless God first asks him for it: +for we offer spiritual food to God when we ask him for our salvation, that is, when we ask, “Your +will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). We cannot obtain salvation of ourselves, +unless we are pre-moved by “prevenient grace,” according to the statement in Lamentations +(5:21): “Make us come back to you, O Lord, and we will come back” (Lam 5:21). The Lord +himself, therefore, first asks for that which makes us ask through “prevenient grace.”</p> +<p>In this simile, we have first, the harvest. Secondly, those who reap the harvest (v 36). He does +two things concerning the first. First, he states the simile concerning the natural harvest; +secondly, concerning the spiritual harvest (v 35b).</p> +<p>645 <span style="font-weight: bold">Do you not have a saying: There are still four months, and it will be harvest time? </span>We +can see from this that, as stated in Matthew (4:12), Christ left Judea and traveled through Samaria +right after John was arrested, and that all this happened during the winter. So, because the +harvests ripen there more according to the season, there were four months froin that time till the +harvest. Thus he says, Do <span style="font-weight: bold">you not have a saying, </span>ahow the natural harvest, <span style="font-weight: bold">There are still four +months </span>that must pass, <span style="font-weight: bold">and it will be harvest time? </span>i.e., the time for gathering up the harvest. +So I say to you, speaking of the spiritual harvest, Lift up your eyes, <span style="font-weight: bold">look at the fields, because +they are already white for the harvest.</span></p> +<p>646 Here we should point out that harvest time is the time when the fruit is gathered; and so +whenever fruit is gathered can be regarded as a harvest time. Now fruit is gathered at two times: +for both in temporal and in spiritual matters there is nothing to prevent what is fruit in relation +to an earlier state from being seed in relation to something later. For example, good works are +the fruit of spiritual instruction, as is faith and other such things; but these in turn are seeds of +eternal life, because eternal life is acquired through them. So Sirach (24:23) says: “My +blossoms,” in relation to the fruit to follow, “bear the fruit of of honor and riches,” in relation to +what preceded.</p> +<p>With this in mind, there is a certain gathering of a spiritual harvest; and this concerns an eternal +fruit, i.e., the gathering of the faithful into eternal life, of which we read: “The harvest is the end +of the world” (Mt 13:39). We are not here concerned with this harvest. Another spiritual harvest +is gathered in the present; and this is understood in two ways. In the first, the gathering of the +fruit is the converting of the faithful to be assembled in the Church; in the second, the gathering +is the very knowing of the truth, by which a person gathers the fruit of truth into his soul. And +we are concerned with these two gatherings of the harvest, depending on the different +expositions.</p> +<p>647 Augustine and Chrysostom understand the gathering of the harvest in the first way, as +follows. You say that it is not yet the time for the natural harvest; but this is not true of the +spiritual harvest. Indeed, <span style="font-weight: bold">I say to you: Lift up your eyes</span>, i.e., the eyes of your mind, by thinking, +or even your physical eyes, <span style="font-weight: bold">look at the fields, because they are already white for the harvest: +</span>because the entire countryside was full of Samaritans coming to Christ.</p> +<p>The statement that the fields are already white is metaphorical: for when sown fields are white, +it is a sign that they are ready for harvest. And so he only means to say by this that the people +were ready for salvation and to hear the word. He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">look at the fields, </span>because not only the +Jews, but the Gentiles as well, were ready for the faith: “The harvest is great, but the workers are +few” (Mt 9:37). And just as harvests are made white by the presence of the burning heat of the +summer sun, so by the coming of the Sun of justice, i.e., Christ, and his preaching and power, +men are made ready for salvation. Malachi (4:2) says: “The sun of justice will rise on you who +fear my name.” Thus it is that the time of Christ’s coming is called the time of plenitude or +fulness: “When the fulness of time had come, God sent his Son” (Gal 4:4).</p> +<p>648 Origen deals with the second gathering of the harvest, i.e., the gathering of truth in the soul. +He says that one gathers as much of the fruit of truth in the harvest as the truths he knows. And +he says that everything said here (v 35) was presented as a parable. In this interpretation, the Lord +does two things. First, he mentions a false doctrine held by some. Secondly, he rejects it, I say +to you.</p> +<p>Some thought that man could not acquire any truth about anything. This opinion gave rise to the +heresy of the Academicians, who maintained that nothing can be known as certain in this life; +about which we read: “I tested all things by wisdom. I said: ‘I will acquire wisdom,’ and it +became further from me” (Ecc 7:24). Our Lord mentions this opinion when he says, Do you not +have a saying: There are <span style="font-weight: bold">still four months and it will be harvest time? </span>i.e., this whole present +life, in which man serves under the four elements, must end, so that after it truth may be gathered +in another life.</p> +<p>Our Lord rejects this opinion when he says: This is not true, I say to you: Lift up your eyes. +Sacred Scripture usually uses this expression when something subtle and profound is being +presented; as, “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things” (Is 40:26). For +when our eyes are not lifted away from earthly things or from the desires of the flesh, they are +not fit to know spiritual fruit. For sometimes they are prevented from considering divine things +because they have stooped to earthly things: “They have fixed their eyes on the earth” (Ps 16:11); +sometimes they are blinded by concupiscence: “They have averted their eyes so as not to look +at heaven or remember the judgments of God” (Dn 13:9).</p> +<p>649 So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Lift up your eyes, look at the fields, because they are already white for the +harvest, </span>i.e., they are such that the truth can be learned from them: for by the “fields” we +specifically understand all those things from which truth can be acquired, especially the +Scriptures: “Search the Scriptures ... they bear witness to me” (below 5:39). Indeed, these fields +existed in the Old Testament, but they were not white for the harvest because men were not able +to pick spiritual fruit from them until Christ came, who made them white by opening their +understanding: “He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Lk 24.45). +Again, creatures are harvests from which the fruit of truth is gathered: “The invisible things of +God are clearly known by the things that have been made” (Rom 1:20). None the less, the +Gentiles who pursued a knowledge of these things gathered the fruits of error rather than of truth +from them, because as we read, “they served the creature rather than the Creator” (Rom 1:25). +So the harvests were not yet white; but they were made white for the harvest when Christ came.</p> +<p>650 Next (v 36), he deals with the reapers. First, he gives their reward. Secondly, he mentions +a proverb. And thirdly, he explains it, i.e., applies it (v 38).</p> +<p>651 Concerning the first, we should note that when the Lord was explaining earlier about +spiritual water, he mentioned the way in which spiritual water differs from natural water: a +person who drinks natural water will become thirsty again, but one who drinks spiritual water +will never be thirsty again. Here, too, in explaining about the harvest, he points out the difference +between a natural and a spiritual harvest. Three things are mentioned.</p> +<p>First, the way in which the two harvests are similar: namely, in that the person who reaps either +harvest receives a wage. But the one who reaps spiritually is the one who gathers the faithful into +the Church, or who gathers the fruit of truth into his soul. Each of these will receive a wage, +according to: “Each one will receive his own wage according to his work” (1 Cor 3:8).</p> +<p>The two other points he mentions concern the ways the two harvests are unlike each other. First, +the fruit gathered from a natural harvest concerns the life of the body; but the fruit gathered by +one who reaps a spiritual harvest concerns eternal life. So he says, he who reaps, i.e., he who +reaps spiritually, <span style="font-weight: bold">gathers fruit for eternal life, </span>that is, the faithful, who will obtain eternal life: +“Your fruit is sanctification, your end is eternal life” (Rom 6:22). Or, this fruit is the very +knowing and explaining of the truth by which man acquires eternal life: “Those who explain me +will have eternal life,” as we read in Sirach (24:3 1). Secondly, the two harvests are unlike +because in a natural harvest it is considered a misfortune that one should sow and another reap; +hence he who sows is saddened when another reaps. But it is not this way when the seed is +spiritual, for <span style="font-weight: bold">the sower can rejoice at the same time as the reaper.</span></p> +<p>According to Chrysostom and Augustine, the ones who sow spiritual seed are the fathers and +prophets of the Old Testament, for “The seed is the word of God” (Lk 8:11), which Moses and +the prophets sowed in the land of Judah. But the apostles were the reapers, because the former +were not able to accomplish what they wanted to do, i.e., to bring men to Christ; this was done +by the apostles. And so both the apostles and the prophets rejoice together, in one mansion of +glory, over the conversion of the faithful: “Joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving +and the voice of praise” (Is 51:3). This refutes the heresy of the Manicheans who condemn the +fathers of the Old Testament; for as the Lord says here, they will rejoice with the apostles.</p> +<p>According to Origen, however, the “sowers” in any faculty [of the soul] are those who confer the +very first principles of that faculty; but the reapers are those who proceed from these principles +to further truths. And this is all the more true of the science of all the sciences. The prophets are +sowers, because they handed down many things concerning divine matters; but the apostles are +the reapers, because in preaching and teaching they revealed many things which the prophets did +not make known: “which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has +now been revealed to his holy apostles” (Eph 3:5).</p> +<p>652 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">For here the saying is verified, </span>we are given a proverb. As if to say: +<span style="font-weight: bold">For here</span>, i.e., in this fact, <span style="font-weight: bold">the saying is verified, </span>i.e., the proverb in current use among the Jews +is fulfilled: <span style="font-weight: bold">One man sows, another reaps. </span>This proverb seems to have grown out of a statement +in Leviticus (26:16): “You will sow your seed in vain for it will be devoured by your enemies.” +As a result, the Jews used this proverb when one person labored on something, but another +received the pleasure from it. This then is what our Lord says: The proverb is verified here +because it was the prophets who sowed and labored, while you are the ones to reap and rejoice.</p> +<p>Another interpretation would be this. <span style="font-weight: bold">For here the saying is verified, </span>i.e. what I am saying to +you, <span style="font-weight: bold">One man sows, another reaps, </span>because you will reap the fruits of the labor of the prophets. +Now the prophets and the apostles are different, but not in faith, for they both had faith: “But now +the justice of God has been manifested outside the law; the law and the prophets bore witness to +it” (Rom 3:21). They are different in their manner of life, for the prophets lived under the +ceremonies of the law, from which the apostles and Christians have been freed: “When we were +children, we were slaves under the elements of this world. But when the fulness of time came, +God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those who were under the +law, so that we could receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:3). And although the apostles and prophets +labor at different times, nevertheless they will rejoice equally and receive wages <span style="font-weight: bold">for eternal life, +so that the sower can rejoice at the same time as the reaper. </span>This was prefigured in the +transfiguration of Christ, where all had their own glory, both the fathers of the Old Testament, +that is, Moses and Elijah, and the fathers of the New Testament, that is, Peter, John and James. +We see from this that the just of the New and of the Old Testaments will rejoice together in the +glory to come.</p> +<p>653 Then (v 38), he applies the proverb. First, he calls the apostles reapers. Secondly, he says +they are laborers (v 38b).</p> +<p>654 he says concerning the first: I say that it is one who reaps, because you are reapers, and +another who sows, for <span style="font-weight: bold">I have sent you to reap what you have not worked for. </span>He does not say, +“I will send you,” but I have sent you. He says this because he sent them twice. One time was +before his passion, when he sent them to the Jews, saying: “Do not go on the roads of the +Gentiles ... but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 10:5). In this case, they were +sent to reap that on which they did not work, that is, to convert the Jews, among whom the +prophets worked. After the resurrection, Christ sent them to the Gentiles, saying: “Go to the +whole world, and preach the good news to every creature,” as we find in Mark (16:15). This time +they were sent to sow for the first time; for as the Apostle says: “I have preached the good news, +but not where Christ was already known, so as not to build on another’s foundation. But as it is +written: ‘They to whom he was not proclaimed will see, and they who have not heard will +understand.’” (Rom 15:20). And so Christ says, I have sent you, referring to the first time they +were sent. This is the way, then, the apostles are reapers, and others, the prophets, are the sowers.</p> +<p>655 Accordingly, he says, Others have done the work, by sowing the beginnings of the doctrine +of Christ, <span style="font-weight: bold">and you have entered into their labors, </span>to collect the fruit: “The fruit of good labors +is glorious” (Wis 3:15). The prophets labored, I say, to bring men to Christ: “If you believed +Moses, you would perhaps believe me, for he wrote of me” (below 5:46). If you do not believe +his written words, how will you believe my spoken words? But the prophets did not reap the +fruit; so Isaiah said with this in mind: “I have labored for nothing and without reason; in vain I +have exhausted my strength” (Is 49:4).</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 5</span></p> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>39 Many Samaritans of that town believed in him on the testimony of the woman who said, “He +told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay +with them awhile. So he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed in him because of +his own words. 42 And they said to the woman, “Now we believe not just because of your story, +but because we have heard him ourselves, and we know that.here is truly the Savior of the +world.”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>656 Above, the Lord foretold to the apostles the fruit to be produced among the Samaritans by +the woman’s witness. Now the Evangelist deals with this fruit. First, the fruit of the woman’s +witness is given. Secondly, the growth of this fruit produced by Christ (v 41). The fruit of the +woman’s witness is shown in three ways.</p> +<p>657 First, by the faith of the Samaritans, for they believed in Christ. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Many +Samaritans of that town, </span>to which the woman had returned, believed in him, and this, <span style="font-weight: bold">on the +testimony of the woman, </span>from whom Christ asked for a drink of water, who said, <span style="font-weight: bold">He told me +everything I ever did: </span>for this testimony was sufficient inducement to believe Christ. For since +Christ had disclosed her failures, she would not have mentioned them if she had not been brought +to believe. And so the Samaritans believed as soon as they heard her. This indicates that faith +comes by hearing.</p> +<p>658 Secondly, the fruit of her witness is shown in their coming to Christ: for faith gives rise to +a desire for the thing believed. Accordingly, after they believed, they came to Christ, to be +perfected by him. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">So when the Samaritans came to him. </span>“Come to him, and be +enlightened” (Ps 33:6); “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you” +(Mt 11:28).</p> +<p>659 Thirdly, the fruit of her witness is shown in their desire: for a believer must not only come +to Christ, but desire that Christ remain with him. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">they begged him to stay with them +awhile. So he stayed there two days.</span></p> +<p>The Lord remains with us through charity: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (below +14:23), and further on he adds, “and we will make our abode with him.” The Lord remains for +two days because there are two precepts of charity: the love of God and the love of our neighbor, +“On these two commandments all the law and the prophets depend” (Mt 22:40). But the third day +is the day of glory: “He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up” (Hos +6:3). Christ did not remain there for that day because the Samaritans were not yet capable of +glory.</p> +<p>660 Then (v 41), the Evangelist says that the fruit resulting from the witness of the woman was +increased by the presence of Christ; and this in three ways. First, in the number of those who +believed. Secondly, in their reason for believing. Thirdly, in the truth they believed.</p> +<p>661 The fruit was increased as to the number of those who believed because while many believed +in Christ on account of the woman, <span style="font-weight: bold">many more believed in him because of his own words, </span>i.e., +Christ’s own words. This signifies that although many believed becatise of the prophets, many +more were converted to the faith after Christ came, according to the Psalm (7:7): “Rise up, O +Lord, in the command you have given, and a congregation of people will surround you.”</p> +<p>662 Secondly, this fruit was increased because of the way in which they believed: for they say +to the woman: <span style="font-weight: bold">Now we believe not just because of your story.</span></p> +<p>Here we should note that three things are necessary for the perfection of faith; and they are given +here in order. First, faith should be right; secondly, it should be prompt; and thirdly, it should be +certain.</p> +<p>Now faith is right when it obeys the truth not for some alien reason, but for the truth itself; and +as to this he says that they said to the woman, Now we believe, the truth, <span style="font-weight: bold">not just because of +your story, </span>but because of the truth itself. Three things lead us to believe in Christ. First of all, +natural reason: “Since the creation of the world the invisible things of God are clearly known by +the things that have been made” (Rom 1:20). Secondly, the testimony of the law and the +prophets: “But now justification from God has been manifested outside the law; the law and the +prophets bore witness to it” (Rom 3:21). Thirdly, the preaching of the apostles and others: “How +will they believe without someone to preach to them?” as Romans (10:14) says. Yet when a +person, having been thus instructed, believes, he can then say that it is not for any of these +reasons that he believes: i.e., neither on account of natural reason, nor the testimony of the law, +nor the preaching of others, but solely on account of the truth itself: “Abram believed God, who +regarded this as his justification” (Gn 15:6).</p> +<p>Faith is prompt if it believes quickly; and this was verified in these Samaritans because they were +converted to God by merely hearing him; so they say: <span style="font-weight: bold">we have heard him ourselves, </span>and believe +in him, <span style="font-weight: bold">and we know that here is truly the Savior of the world, </span>without seeing miracles, as +the Jews saw. And although to believe men quickly is an indication of thoughtlessness, according +to Sirach (19:4): “He who believes easily is frivolous,” yet to believe God quickly is more +praisworthy: “When they heard me, they obeyed me” (Ps 17:45).</p> +<p>Faith should be certain, because one who doubts in the faith is an unbeliever: “Ask with faith, +without any doubting” (Jas 1:6). And so their faith was certain; thus they say, <span style="font-weight: bold">and we know. +</span>Sometimes, one who believes is said to know (<i>scire</i>),<i> </i>as here, because <i>scientia </i>[science, +knowledge in a more perfect state] and faith agree in that both are certain. For just as <i>scientia </i>is<i> +</i>certain, so is faith; indeed, the latter is much more so, because the certainty of scientia rests on +human reason, which can be decieved, while the certainty of faith rests on divine reason, which +cannot be contradicted. However they differ in mode: because faith possesses its certainty due +to a divinely infused light, while <i>scientia </i>possesses its certainty due to a natural light. For as the +certitude of <i>scientia </i>rests on first principles naturally known, so the principles of faith are known +from a light divinely infused: “You are saved by grace, through faith; and this is not due to +yourselves, for it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).</p> +<p>663 Thirdly, the fruit was increased in the truth believed; so they say, <span style="font-weight: bold">here is truly the Savior +of the world. </span>Here they are affirming that Christ is the unique, true and universal Savior.</p> +<p>He is the unique Savior for they assert that he is different from others when they say, here is, i.e., +here he alone is who has come to save: “Truly, you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the +Savior” (Is 45:15); “There is no other name under heaven given to men, by which we are saved” +(Acts 4:12).</p> +<p>They affirm that Christ is the true Savior when they say, <span style="font-weight: bold">truly. </span>For since salvation, as Dionysius +says, is deliverance from evil and preservation in good, there are two kinds of salvation: one is +true, and the other is not true. Salvation is true when we are freed from true evils and preserved +in true goods. In the Old Testament, however, although certain saviors had been sent, they did +not truly bring salvation, for they set men free from temporal evils, which are not truly evils, nor +true goods, because they do not last. But Christ is truly the Savior, because he frees men from +true evils, that is, sins: “He will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:21), and he preserves them +in true goods, that is, spiritual goods.</p> +<p>They affirm that he is the universal Savior because he is not just for some, i.e., for the Jews +alone, but is the Savior <span style="font-weight: bold">of the world. </span>“God did not send his Son into the world to judge the +world, but that the world might be saved through him” (above 3:17).</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 6</span></p> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>43 After two days he left that place and went to Galilee. 44 Jesus himself had testified that a +prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 When however he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans +welcomed him, because they had seen all the things he had done in Jerusalem on the festive day, +where they too had gone. 46a He therefore went to Cana in Galilee once more, where he had +made the water wine.</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>664 Having described the conversion of the Gentiles due to teaching, their conversion due to +miracles is now given. The Evangelist mentions a miracle performed by Christ: first, giving the +place; secondly, describing the miracle; and thirdly, its effect (v 53). He does two things about +the first. First, he gives the general location of the miracle, that is, Christ’s own homeland. +Secondly, the specific place (v 46). With respect to the first he does two things. First, he +mentions the general place. Secondly, he tells how Christ was received there (v 45). Concerning +the first he does two things. First, he indicates the general place. Secondly, he gives a certain +reason, at (v 44).</p> +<p>665 He says first of all: I say that Jesus remained with these Samaritans for two days, and <span style="font-weight: bold">after +two days he left that place, </span>i.e., <span style="font-weight: bold">Samaria, and went to Galilee, </span>where he had been raised. This +signifies that at the end of the world, when the Gentiles have been confirmed in the faith and in +the truth, a return will be made to convert the Jews, according to: “until the full number of the +Gentiles enters, and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:2 5).</p> +<p>666 Then he gives a certain reason, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no +honor in his own country. </span>There are two questions here: one is about the literal meaning; and +the other about the continuity of this passage with the first.</p> +<p>The problem about the literal meaning is that it does not seem to be true, as stated here, that a +prophet has no honor in his own country: for we read that other prophets were honored in their +own land. Chrysostom answers this by saying that the Lord is speaking here about the majority +of cases. So, although there might be an exception in some individual cases, what is said here +should not be considered false: for in matters concerning nature and morals, that rule is true +which is verified in most cases; and if a few cases are otherwise, the rule is not considered to be +false.</p> +<p>Now what the Lord says was true with respect to most of the prophets, because in the Old +Testament it is hard to find any prophet who did not suffer persecution, as stated in Acts (7:52): +“Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?”; and in Matthew (23:37): “Jerusalem, +Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you.” Further, this statement of +our Lord holds true not only in the case of the prophets among the Jews, but also, as Origen says, +with many among the Gentiles, because they were held in contempt by their fellow citizens and +put to death: for living with men in the usual way, and too much familiarity, lessen respect and +breed contempt. So it is that those with whom we are more familiar we come to reverence less, +and those with whom we cannot become acquainted we regard more highly.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p>However, the opposite happens with God: lor the more intimate we become with God through +love and contemplation, realizing how superior he is, the more we respect him and the less do +we esteem ourselves. “I have heard you, but now I see you, and so I reprove myself, and do +penance in dust and ashes” (Jb 42:5). The reason for this is that man’s nature is weak and fragile; +and when one lives with another for a long time, he notices certain weaknesses in him, and this +results in a loss of respect for him. But since God is infinitely perfect, the more a person knows +him the more he admires his superior perfection, and as a result the more he respects him.</p> +<p>667 But was Christ a prophet? At first glance it seems not, because prophecy involves an obscure +knowledge: “If there is a prophet of the Lord among you, I will appear to him in a vision” (Nm +12:6). Christ’s knowledge, however, was not obscure. Yet he was a prophet, as is clear from, +“The Lord your God will raise up a prophet for you, from your nation and your brothers; he will +be like me. You will listen to him” (Dt 18:15). This text is referred to Christ.</p> +<p>I answer that a prophet has a twofold function. First, that of seeing: “He who is now called a +prophet was formerly called a seer” (I Sm 9:9). Secondly, he makes known, announces; Christ +was a prophet in this sense for he made known the truth about God: “For this was I born, and for +this I came into the world: to testify to the truth” (below 18:37). As for the seeing function of a +prophet, we should note that Christ was at once both a “wayfarer” and a “comprehensor,” or +blessed. He was a wayfarer in the sufferings of his human nature and in all the things that relate +to this. He was a blessed in his union with the divinity, by which he enjoyed God in the most +perfect way. There are two things in the vision or seeing of a prophet. First, the intellectual light +of his mind; and as regards this Christ was not a prophet, because his light was not at all +deficient; his light was that of the blessed. Secondly, an imaginary vision is also involved; and +with respect to this Christ did have a likeness to the prophets insofar as he was a wayfarer and +was able to form various images with his imagination.</p> +<p>668 Secondly, there is the problem about continuity. For the Evangelist does not seem to be right +in connecting the fact that <span style="font-weight: bold">After two days he left that place and went to Galilee, </span>with the +statement of Jesus that <span style="font-weight: bold">a prophet has no honor in his own country. </span>It would seem that the +Evangelist should have said that Christ did not go into Galilee, for if he was not honored there, +that would be a reason for not going there.</p> +<p>Augustine answers this by suggesting that the Evangelist said this to answer a question that could +have been raised, namely: Why did Christ return to Galilee since he had lived there for a long +time, and the Galileans were still not converted to him; while the Samaritans were converted in +two days? It is the same as saying: Even though the Galileans had not been converted, still Jesus +went there, for <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.</span></p> +<p>Chrysostom explains this in a different way: After two days he left, not for Capernaum, which +was his homeland because of his continuous residence there, nor for Bethlehem, where he was +born, nor for Nazareth, where he was educated. Thus he did not go to Capernaum; hence in +Matthew (11:23) he upbraids them, saying: “And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to +heaven? You will descend even to hell.” He went rather to Cana in Galilee. And he gives the +reason here [for not going to Capernaum] : because they were ill-disposed toward him. This is +what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.</span></p> +<p>669 Was Christ seeking glory from men? It seems not, for he says: “I do not seek my own glory” +(below 8:50). 1 answer that it is only God who seeks his own glory without sin. A man should +not seek his own glory from men, but rather the glory of God. Christ, however, as God, fittingly +sought his own glory, and as man, he sought the glory of God in himself.</p> +<p>670 Then he shows that Christ was received by the Galileans more respectfully than before, +saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">When however he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, </span>respectfully. The +reason behind this was <span style="font-weight: bold">because they had seen all the things he had done in Jerusalem on the +festive day, where they too had gone, </span>as the law commanded.</p> +<p>This seems to conflict with the fact that we did not read above of any miracles being performed +by Christ at Jerusalem. I answer, with the opinion of Origen, that the Jews thought it a great +miracle that Christ drove the traders from the temple with such authority (above 2:14). Or, we +could say that Christ performed many miracles which were not written down, according to, +“Jesus did many other signs ... which are not written down in this book” (below 20:30).</p> +<p>671 In its mystical sense, this gives us an example that if we wish to receive Jesus Christ within +ourselves, we should go up to Jerusalem on a festive day, that is, we should seek tranquility of +mind, and examine everything which Jesus does there: “Look upon Zion, the city of our festive +days” (Is 33:20); “1 have meditated on all Your works” (Ps 142:5).</p> +<p>672 Note that as men were lesser in dignity, they were better with respect to God. The Judeans +were superior in dignity to the Galileans: “Look at the Scriptures and see that the Prophet will +not come from Galilee” (below 7:52); and the Galileans were superior in dignity to the +Samaritans: “The Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans” (above 4:9). On the other hand, +the Samaritans were better than the Galileans because more of them believed in Christ in two +days without any miracles than the Galileans did in a long period of time and even with the +miracle of the wine: for none of them believed in him except his disciples. Finally, the Judeans +were worse than the Galileans, because none of them believed in Jesus, except perhaps +Nicodemus.</p> +<p>673 Then he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">He therefore went to Cana in Galilee</span>. According to Chrysostom, this is +given as a conclusion from what went before; it is as though he were saying: Christ did not go +to Capemaurn because he was not held in honor there. But he was under an obligation to go to +Cana in Galilee: for on the first occasion he had been invited to the wedding, and now he goes +again without being invited. The two trips to Cana are mentioned by the Evangelist to show their +hardness of heart: for at the first miracle of the wine, only his disciples believed in Christ; and +at the second miracle, only the official and his household believed. On the other hand, the +Samaritans believed on Christ’s words alone.</p> +<p>674 In the mystical sense, the two visits to Cana signify the effect of God’s words on our minds. +First of all they cause delight, because they who hear the word “receive the word with joy” (Mt +13:20). This is signified in the miracle of the wine, which as the Psalm (103:15) says, “gladdens +the heart of man.” Secondly, the word of God heals: “It was neither a herb nor a poultice that +healed them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all things” (Wis 16:12). And this is signified +by the curing of the sick son.</p> +<p>Further, these two visits to Cana indicate the two comings of the Son of God. The first coming +was in all gentleness to bring joy: “Rejoice and give praise, people of Zion, for he is great who +is in your midst, the Holy One of Israel” (Is 12:6). So the angel said to the shepherds: “I bring you +good news of great joy ... this day a Savior has been born to you” (Lk 2:10). This is signified by +the wine. His second coming into the world will be in majesty, when he will come to take away +our weaknesses and our punishments, and to make us like his radiant body. And this is signified +in the cure of the sick son.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 7</span></p> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>46b There happened to be a certain official, whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard +that Jesus had come to Galilee from Judea, he went to him, and begged him to come down and +heal his son, who was at the point of death. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and +wonders, you do not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Lord, come down before my child +dies.” 50 Jesus told him, “Go, your son lives.” The man took Jesus at his word, and started for +home. 51 While he was on his way down, his servants ran up to meet him with word’ that his son +was going to live. 52 He asked them at what time his boy got better. And they told him that +yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 The father then realized that it was at that very +hour when Jesus told him, “Your son lives.” He and his whole household became believers. 54 +This was the second sign Jesus had performed on returning from Judea to Galilee.</p> +<p>675 Having told us the place of this miracle, the Evangelist now describes the miracle itself: +telling us of the person who was ill; the one who interceded for him; and the one who healed him. +The one who was ill was the son of the official; his father interceded for him; and it was Christ +who was to heal him.</p></BLOCKQUOTE> +<p>676 About the person who was ill, he first tells us of his status, a <span style="font-weight: bold">son</span> of an official; secondly, +where he was, at <span style="font-weight: bold">Capernaum; </span>thirdly, his illness, a <span style="font-weight: bold">fever</span>.</p> +<p>He says about the first, <span style="font-weight: bold">There happened to be a certain official, whose son lay sick. </span>Now one +can be called an official for a variety of reasons. For example, if one is in charge of a small +territory. This is not its meaning here for at this time there was no king in Judea: “We have no +king but Caesar” (below 19:15). One is also called an official, as Chrysostom says, because he +is from a royal family; and this is also not its meaning here. In a third way, an official is some +officer of a king or ruler; and this is its meaning here.</p> +<p>Some think, as Chrysostom reports, that this official is the same as the centurion mentioned by +Matthew (8:5). This is not so, for they differ in four ways. First, because the illness was not the +same in each. The centurion was concerned with a paralytic, “My servant is lying paralyzed at +home” (Mt 8:6); while this official’s son is suffering from a fever, <span style="font-weight: bold">yesterday at the seventh +hour the fever left him. </span>Secondly, those who are sick are not the same. In the first case, it was +a servant, “my servant”; but now we have a son, as it says, <span style="font-weight: bold">whose son. </span>Thirdly, what is requested +is different. For when Christ wanted to go to the home of the centurion, the centurion +discouraged him, and said: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say +the word and my servant will be healed” (Mt 8:8). But this official asked Christ to come to his +house, <span style="font-weight: bold">Lord, come down before my child dies. </span>Fourthly, the places are different. For the first +healing took place at Capernaum, while this one is at Cana in Galilee. So this official is not the +same as the centurion, but was from the household of Herod the Tetrarch, or some kind of a +herald, or an official of the Emperor.</p> +<p>677 In its allegorical sense, this official is Abraham or one of the fathers of the Old Testament, +in so far as he adheres by faith to the king, that is, to Christ, about which we read, “I was made +king by him over Zion” (Ps 2:6). Abraham adhered to him, for as is said below (8:56): “Abraham, +your father, rejoiced that he might see my day.” The son of this official is the Jewish people: “We +are the descendants of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to any one” (below 8:33). But +they are sick from evil pleasures and incorrect doctrines. They are sick at Capernaum, i.e., in the +abundance of goods which caused them to leave their God, according to, “The beloved grew fat +and rebellious ... he deserted the God who made him, and left God his Savior” (Dt 32:15).</p> +<p>678 In the moral sense, in the kingdom of the soul, the king is reason itself: “The king, who sits +on his throne of judgment” (Prv 20:8). But why is reason called the king? Because man’s entire +body is ruled by it: his affections are directed and informed by it, and the other powers of the soul +follow it. But sometimes it is called an official [not the king], that is, when its knowledge is +obscured, with the result that it follows inordinate passions and does not resist them: “They live +with their foolish ideas, their understanding obscured by darkness” (Eph 4:17). Consequently, +the son of this official, i.e., the affections, are sick, that is, they deviate from good and decline +to what is evil. If reason were the king, that is, strong, its son would not be sick; but being only +an official, its son is sick. This happens at Capernaum because a great many temporal goods are +the cause of spiritual sickness: “This was the crime of your sister Sodom: richness, satiety in +food, and idleness” (Ez 16:49).</p> +<p>679 Now we see the person making his request (v 47). First, we have the incentive for making +his request. Secondly, the request itself. Thirdly, the need for the request.</p> +<p>680 The incentive for making the request was the arrival of Christ. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">When he, </span>the +official, <span style="font-weight: bold">heard that Jesus had come to Galilee from Judea, he went to him. </span>For as long as the +coming of Christ was delayed, men’s hope of being healed from their sins was that much fainter; +but when it is reported that his coming is near, our hope of being healed rises, and then we go to +him. For he came into this world to save sinners: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what +was lost” (Lk 19:22). Further, as Sirach says (18:23), we should prepare our soul by prayer, and +we do this by going to God through our desires. And this is what the official did, as we read, he +went to him. Amos (4:12) says, “Be prepared to meet your God, O Israel.”</p> +<p>681 The request of the official was that Christ heal his son. So the Evangelist says that he begged +him to come down, out of compassion: “O that you would rend the heavens, and come down” +(Is 64:1), <span style="font-weight: bold">and heal his son. </span>We, too, ought to ask to be healed from our sins: “Heal my soul, for +I have sinned against you” (Ps 40:5). For no one of himself can return to the state of justice; +rather, he has to be healed by God: “I cannot help myself” (Jb 6:13). The fathers of the Old +Testament interceded for the people of Israel in the same way; for as we read of one: “He loves +his brothers, because he prays much for the holy city and for the people of Israel, Jeremiah, the +prophet of God” (2 Me 15:14).</p> +<p>682 The need for this request was urgent, for the son <span style="font-weight: bold">was at the point of death. </span>When a person +is tempted, he is beginning to become sick; and as the temptation grows stronger and takes the +upper hand, inclining him to consent, he is near death. But when he has consented, he is at the +point of death and beginning to die. Finally, when he completes his sin, he dies; for as we read: +“Sin, when it is completed, brings forth death” (Jas 1:15). The Psalm (33:22) says about this: +“The death of sinners is the worst,” because it begins here and continues into the future without +end.</p> +<p>683 Now he deals with the request for Christ to heal the son of the official. First, our Lord’s +criticism is given. Secondly, the official’s request. Thirdly, the granting of the request.</p> +<p>684 Our Lord criticizes him for his lack of faith, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Unless you see signs and wonders, you +do not believe. </span>This raises a question, for it does not seem right to say this to this official, for +unless he had believed that Christ was the Savior, he would not have asked him to heal his son.</p> +<p>The answer to this is that this official did not yet believe perfectly; indeed, there were two defects +in his faith. The first was that although he believed that Christ was a true man, he did not believe +that he had divine power; otherwise he would have believed that Christ could heal one even +while absent, since God is everywhere, as Jeremiah (23:24) says: “I fill heaven and earth.” And +so he would not have asked Christ to come down to his house, but simply give his command. The +second defect in his faith, according to Chrysostom, was that he was not sure that Christ could +heal his son: for had he been sure, he would not have waited for Christ to return to his homeland, +but would have gone to Judea himself. But now, despairing of his son’s health, and not wishing +to overlook any possibility, he went to Christ like those parents who in their despair for the health +of their children consult even unskilled doctors.</p> +<p>685 In the second place, it does not seem that he should have been criticized for looking for +signs, for faith is proved by signs. The answer to this is that unbelievers are drawn to Christ in +one way, and believers in another way. For unbelievers cannot be drawn to Christ or convinced +by the authority of Sacred Scripture, because they do not believe it; neither can they be drawn by +natural reason, because faith is above reason. Consequently, they must be led by miracles: “Signs +are given to unbelievers, not to believers” (1 Cor 14:22). Believers, on the other hand, should be +led and directed to faith by the authority of Scripture, to which they are bound to assent. This is +why the official is criticized: although he had been brought up among the Jews and instructed in +the law, he wanted to believe through signs, and not by the authority of the Scripture. So the Lord +reproaches him, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Unless you see signs and wonders, </span>i.e., miracles, which sometimes are +signs insofar as they bear witness to divine truth. Or <span style="font-weight: bold">wonders </span>(prodigia), either because they +indicate with utmost certitude, so that a prodigy is taken to be a “portent” or some “sure +indication”; or because they portend something in the future, as if something were called a +<span style="font-weight: bold">wonder </span>as if showing at a great distance some future effect.</p> +<p>686 Now we see the official’s persistence, for he does not give up after the Lord’s criticism, but +insists, saying. <span style="font-weight: bold">Lord, come down before my child dies: </span>“We should pray always, and not lose +heart” (Lk 18:1). This shows an improvement in his faith in one respect, that is, in that he calls +him “Lord.” But there is not a total improvement, for he still thought that Christ had to be +physically present to heal his son; so he asked Christ to come.</p> +<p>687 His request is granted by the Lord, for persevering prayer is answered. Jesus said to him: <span style="font-weight: bold">Go, +your son lives. </span>Here we have first, the statement by Christ, who cured the boy, that the boy was +cured. Secondly, we ire told of the persons who witnessed the cure (v 51 ). Two things are +mentioned concerning the first: the command of the Lord and the obedience of the official (v +50b).</p> +<p>688 As to the first, the Lord does two things. First, he orders; secondly, he affirms. He orders the +official to go: hence he says, Go, i.e., prepare to receive grace by a movement of your free will +toward God: “Turn to me, and you will be saved” (Is 45:22); and by a movement of your free will +against sin. For four things are required for the justification of an adult sinner: the infusion of +grace, the remission of guilt, a movement of the free will toward God, which is faith, and a +movement of the free will against sin, which is contrition.</p> +<p>Then the Lord says that his son is healed, which was the request of the official: <span style="font-weight: bold">Your son lives</span>.</p> +<p>689 One may ask why Christ refused to go down to the home of this official as asked, while he +promised to go see the servant of the centurion. There are two reasons for this. One, according +to Gregory, is to blunt our pride; the pride of us who offer our services to great men, but refuse +to help the insignificant: since the Lord of all offered to go to the servant of the centurion, but +refused to go to the son of an official: “Be well-disposed to the poor” (Sir 4:7). The other reason, +as Chrysostom says, was that the centurion was already confirmed in the faith of Christ, and +believed that he could heal even while not present; and so our Lord promised to go to show +approval of his faith and devotion. But this official was still imperfect, and did not yet clearly +know that Christ could heal even while absent. And so our Lord does not go, in order that he may +realize his imperfection.</p> +<p>690 The obedience of this official is pointed out in two ways. First, because he believed what +Christ said; so he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The man took Jesus at his word, </span>that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your son lives. </span>Secondly, +because he did obey the order of Christ; so he says, he <span style="font-weight: bold">started for home, </span>progressing in faith, +although not yet fully or soundly, as Origen says. This signifies that we must be justified by faith: +“Justified by faith, let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). We +also must go and start out by making progress: because he who stands still runs the risk of being +unable to preserve the life of grace. For, along the road to God, if we do not go forward we fall +back.</p> +<p>691 Next we see the servants bringing news of the healing. First, the news of the healing is given. +Secondly, there is an inquiry about the time of the healing (v 52).</p> +<p>692 He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">While he was on his way down, </span>from Cana of Galilee to his own home, <span style="font-weight: bold">his +servants ran up to meet him</span>—which shows that this official was wealthy and had many +servants—<span style="font-weight: bold">with word that his son was going to live: </span>and they did this because they thought that +Christ was coming, and his presence was no longer necessary as the boy was already cured.</p> +<p>693 In the mystical sense, the servants of the official, i.e., of reason, are a man’s works, because +man is master of his own acts and of the affections of his sense powers, for they obey the +command and direction of reason. Now these servants announce that the son of the official, that +is, of reason, lives, when a man’s good works shine out, and his lower powers obey reason, +according to: “A man’s dress, and laughter, and his walk, show what he is” (Sir 19:27).</p> +<p>694 Because this official did not yet believe either fully or soundly, he still wanted to know +whether his son had been cured by chance or by the command of Christ. Accordingly, he asks +about the time of the cure. <span style="font-weight: bold">He asked them</span>, the servants, <span style="font-weight: bold">at what time his boy got better. </span>And +he found that his son was cured at exactly the same hour that our Lord said, <span style="font-weight: bold">Go, your son lives</span>. +And no wonder, because Christ is the Word, through whom heaven and earth were made: “He +spoke and they were made; he commanded and they were. created” (Ps. 148:5).</p> +<p>695 <span style="font-weight: bold">And they</span>, his servants, <span style="font-weight: bold">told him that yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. +</span>In the mystical sense, the seventh hour, when the boy is cured of his fever, signifies the seven +gifts of the Holy Spirit, through whom sins are forgiven, according to: “Receive the Holy Spirit; +whose sins you forgive, are forgiven” (below 20:22), and through whom spiritual life is produced +in the soul: “It is the Spirit that gives life” (below 6:64). Again, the seventh hour signifies the +appropriate time for.rest, for the Lord rested from all his work on the seventh day. This indicates +that the spiritual life of man consists in spiritual rest or quiet, according to: “If you remain at rest, +you will be saved” (Is 30:15). But of the evil we read: “The heart of the wicked is like the raging +sea, which cannot rest” (Is 57:20).</p> +<p>696 Next, we are given the effect of this miracle (v 53). First, its fruit is mentioned. Secondly, +this miracle is linked with another one (v 54).</p> +<p>697 He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The father then realized, </span>by comparing the hour mentioned by the servants with +the hour of Christ’s affirmation, <span style="font-weight: bold">that it was at that very hour when Jesus told him, Your son +lives. </span>Because of this he was converted to Christ, realizing that it was by his power that the +miracle was accomplished. <span style="font-weight: bold">He and his whole household became believers, </span>that is, his servants +and his aides, because the attitude of servants depends on the condition, whether good or wicked, +of their masters: “As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers” (Sir 10:2); and +in Genesis (18:19) we read: “I know that he will direct his sons.”</p> +<p>This also shows that the faith of the official was constantly growing: for at the beginning, when +he pleaded for his sick son, it was weak; then it began to grow more firm, when he called Jesus +“Lord” then when he believed what the Lord said and started for home, it was more perfect, but +not completely so, because he still doubted. But here, clearly realizing God’s power in Christ, +his faith is made perfect, for as Proverbs (4:18) says: “The way of the just goes forward like a +shining light, increasing to the full light of day.”</p> +<p>698 Finally, this miracle is linked with the previous one, <span style="font-weight: bold">This was the second sign Jesus had +performed on returning from Judea to Galilee. </span>We can understand this in two ways. In one +way, that our Lord performed two miracles during this one trip from Judea to Galilee; but the first +of these was not recorded, only the second. In the other way, we could say that Jesus worked two +signs in Galilee at different times: the one of the wine, and this second one about the son of this +official after he returned again to Galilee from Judea.</p> +<p>We also see from this that the Galileans were worse than the Samaritans. For the Samaritans +expected no sign from the Lord, and many believed in his word alone; but as a result of this +miracle, only this official and his whole household believed: for the Jews were converted to the +faith little by little on account of their hardness, according to: “I have become as one who +harvests in the summer time, like a gleaner at the vintage: not one cluster to eat, not one of the +early figs I desire” (Mi 7:1).</p> +</body> + +</html>