John 4:54-5:1
Just as an expert in gold mines would not tolerate overlooking even the smallest vein because it produces great wealth, so in the holy Scriptures it is impossible without loss to pass by a single jot or tittle—we must examine everything carefully. For all of Scripture is spoken by the Holy Spirit, and nothing useless is written in it.
1. As in gold mines one skillful in what relates to them would not endure to overlook even the smallest vein as producing much wealth, so in the holy Scriptures it is impossible without loss to pass by one jot or one tittle, we must search into all. For they all are uttered by the Holy Spirit, and nothing useless is written in them.
Consider, for instance, what the Evangelist says in this place: "This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He had come out of Judæa into Galilee." He has not added the word "second" without reason, but to elevate the praise of the Samaritans even more, by showing that even when a second miracle had been performed, those who witnessed it had not yet reached the same level as those who had not seen a single one.
Consider, for instance, what the Evangelist in this place says, This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He had come out of Judæa into Galilee. Even the word second he has added not without cause, but to exalt yet more the praise of the Samaritans, by showing that even when a second miracle had been wrought, they who beheld it had not yet reached as high as those who had not seen one.
After this there was a feast of the Jews. What feast? I think it was Pentecost. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He regularly attended the city during the feasts, partly so that he might appear to celebrate with them, and partly so that he might draw the crowd that was free from deception. During these days especially, the more simple-minded people gathered together more than at other times.
After this there was a feast of the Jews. What feast? Methinks that of Pentecost. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Continually at the feasts He frequents the City, partly that He might appear to feast with them, partly that He might attract the multitude that was free from guile; for during these days especially, the more simply disposed ran together more than at other times.
John 5:2-3
What kind of healing is this? What mystery does it point to for us? These things are not written carelessly or without purpose, but they show in outline things to come through a figure and type, so that what was going to be extremely strange would not harm the power of faith among many people by coming unexpectedly. What then do they show in outline? A Baptism was about to be given, possessing great power and the greatest gifts, a Baptism purging all sins and making people alive instead of dead. These things are foreshadowed as in a picture by the pool and by many other circumstances. First, water is given that cleanses the stains of our bodies and those defilements which are not real but only seem to be, such as those from touching the dead, those from leprosy, and other similar causes. Under the old covenant one can see many things done by water for this reason. However, let us now proceed to the matter at hand.
What manner of cure is this? What mystery does it signify to us? For these things are not written carelessly, or without a purpose, but as by a figure and type they show in outline things to come, in order that what was exceedingly strange might not by coming unexpectedly harm among the many the power of faith. What then is it that they show in outline? A Baptism was about to be given, possessing much power, and the greatest of gifts, a Baptism purging all sins, and making men alive instead of dead. These things then are foreshown as in a picture by the pool, and by many other circumstances. And first is given a water which purges the stains of our bodies, and those defilements which are not, but seem to be, as those from touching the dead, those from leprosy, and other similar causes; under the old covenant one may see many things done by water on this account. However, let us now proceed to the matter in hand.
As I said before, God first causes defilements of our bodies to be washed away, and then infirmities of various kinds, by means of water. Because God, wanting to bring us closer to faith in baptism, no longer heals only defilements, but diseases as well. For those symbols that came closer in time to the reality—whether concerning Baptism, the Passion, or other things—were clearer than the more ancient ones. Just as the guards nearest to a prince are more splendid than those farther away, so it was with these symbols. An Angel came down and stirred the water, giving it healing power, so that the Jews might learn that the Lord of Angels could do much more to heal the diseases of the soul. Yet just as here it was not simply the nature of the water itself that healed (for then this would have happened all the time), but water combined with the work of the Angel, so in our case it is not merely the water that works, but when it has received the grace of the Spirit, then it washes away all our sins. Around this pool lay a great crowd of sick people—blind, lame, withered—waiting for the stirring of the water. But back then, sickness was an obstacle to anyone who wanted to be healed; now everyone has the ability to approach, for now it is not an Angel who stirs the water, but the Lord of Angels who does everything. The sick man cannot now say, "I have no one to help me." He cannot say, "While I am coming, another steps down before me." Even if the whole world should come, the grace is not used up, the power is not exhausted, but remains just as great as it was before. Just as the sun's rays give light every day yet are not used up, and their light is not diminished by giving such an abundant supply, so—and much more—the power of the Spirit is in no way lessened by the number of those who receive it. And this miracle was done so that people, learning that it is possible for water to heal the diseases of the body and being trained in this for a long time, might more easily believe that it can also heal the diseases of the soul.
First then, as I before said, He causes defilements of our bodies, and afterwards infirmities of different kinds, to be done away by water. Because God, desiring to bring us nearer to faith in baptism, no longer heals defilements only, but diseases also. For those figures which came nearer [in time] to the reality, both as regarded Baptism, and the Passion, and the rest, were plainer than the more ancient; and as the guards near the person of the prince are more splendid than those before, so was it with the types. And an Angel came down and troubled the water, and endued it with a healing power, that the Jews might learn that much more could the Lord of Angels heal the diseases of the soul. Yet as here it was not simply the nature of the water that healed, (for then this would have always taken place,) but water joined to the operation of the Angel; so in our case, it is not merely the water that works, but when it has received the grace of the Spirit, then it puts away all our sins. Around this pool lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water; but then infirmity was a hindrance to him who desired to be healed, now each has power to approach, for now it is not an Angel that troubles, it is the Lord of Angels who works all. The sick man cannot now say, I have no man; he cannot say, While I am coming another steps down before me; though the whole world should come, the grace is not spent, the power is not exhausted, but remains equally great as it was before. Just as the sun's beams give light every day, yet are not exhausted, nor is their light made less by giving so abundant a supply; so, and much more, the power of the Spirit is in no way lessened by the numbers of those who enjoy it. And this miracle was done in order that men, learning that it is possible by water to heal the diseases of the body, and being exercised in this for a long time, might more easily believe that it can also heal the diseases of the soul.
But why did Jesus leave the rest and come to one man who had been sick for thirty-eight years? And why did He ask him, "Will you be made whole?" Not because He needed to learn—that was unnecessary—but so that He might show the man's perseverance, and so that we might know it was for this reason that He left the others and came to him. What then does the man say? "Yes, Lord," he says, "but I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I am coming another steps down before me."
But why did Jesus, leaving the rest, come to one who was of thirty-eight years standing? And why did He ask him, Will you be made whole? Not that He might learn, that was needless; but that He might show the man's perseverance, and that we might know that it was on this account that He left the others and came to him. What then says he? Yea Lord, he says, but I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I am coming another steps down before me.
Jesus asked "Will you be made whole?" so that we might learn these circumstances. He did not say "Will you that I heal you?" because the man had not yet formed any exalted ideas about Him. Instead, He said "Will you be made whole?" The paralytic's perseverance was astonishing. He had been sick for thirty-eight years, and each year, hoping to be freed from his disease, he continued to stay there and did not withdraw. If he had not been very persevering, wouldn't the future, if not the past, have been enough to make him leave the place? Consider, I ask you, how watchful the other sick people there would likely have been, since the time when the water was troubled was uncertain. The lame and halt could indeed observe it, but how did the blind see? Perhaps they learned it from the noise that arose.
It was that we might learn these circumstances that Jesus asked, Will you be made whole? and said not, Will you that I heal you? (for as yet the man had formed no exalted notions concerning Him,) but Will you be made whole? Astonishing was the perseverance of the paralytic, he was of thirty and eight years standing, and each year hoping to be freed from his disease, he continued in attendance, and withdrew not. Had he not been very persevering, would not the future, if not the past, have been sufficient to lead him from the spot? Consider, I pray you, how watchful it was likely that the other sick men there would be since the time when the water was troubled was uncertain. The lame and halt indeed might observe it, but how did the blind see? Perhaps they learned it from the clamor which arose.
We should be ashamed, beloved, we should be ashamed and groan over our extreme laziness. That man had been waiting for thirty-eight years without getting what he wanted, and he did not give up. He had failed not through any carelessness of his own, but because he was pushed aside and treated violently by others, and even so he did not lose heart. Yet we, if we have continued for ten days praying for something and have not received it, are afterwards too lazy to pray with the same eagerness. We wait on other people for so long a time, fighting and enduring hardships and performing slavish duties, and often in the end failing to get what we expected. But when it comes to our Master, from whom we are certain to receive a reward greater than our labors (for as the Apostle says, Hope does not put us to shame, Romans 5:5), we cannot endure to wait on Him with proper diligence. What punishment does this deserve! Even if we could receive nothing from Him, should we not consider the very act of conversing with Him continually to be the source of countless blessings? But continual prayer is hard work. And what aspect of virtue is not hard work? Indeed, someone says, this very point is very troubling—that pleasure is attached to vice, and labor to virtue. And many people, I think, raise this question. So what can be the reason? God gave us at the beginning a life free from worry and exempt from labor. We did not use the gift rightly, but were corrupted by doing nothing, and were driven out of Paradise. For this reason He made our life from then on one of toil, explaining His reasons for this to mankind, and saying as it were: I allowed you at the beginning to lead a life of enjoyment, but you were made worse by freedom, so I decreed that from now on labor and sweat would be laid upon you. And when even this labor did not restrain us, He then gave us a law containing many commandments, imposing it on us like bits and bridles placed on an unruly horse to restrain his wild movements, just as horse trainers do. This is why life is hard—because not laboring tends to be our ruin. For our nature cannot bear to be doing nothing, but easily turns aside to wickedness. Let us suppose that the temperate man, and the one who rightly performs the other virtues, has no need of labor, but does everything in his sleep—still, how would we have used our leisure? Would it not have been for pride and boasting? But why, someone says, has great pleasure been attached to vice, and great labor and toil to virtue? Well, what credit would you have, and for what would you receive a reward, if the matter were not difficult? Even now I can show you many who by nature hate relations with women, and avoid conversation with them as impure. Shall we then call these people chaste? Shall we crown these people, tell me, and proclaim them victors? By no means. Chastity is self-restraint and the mastering of pleasures that fight against us, just as in war the trophies are most honorable when the contest is violent, not when no one raises a hand against us. Many are by their very nature without passion—shall we call these people good-tempered? Not at all. And so the Lord after naming three types of eunuchs, leaves two of them without crowns, and admits only one into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:12). But what need was there, someone says, for wickedness? I ask this too. What then made wickedness to exist? Nothing but our willful negligence. But, someone says, there ought to be only good people. Well, what is proper to the good person? Is it to watch and be alert, or to sleep and snore? And why, someone says, did it not seem good that a person should act rightly without laboring? You speak words that suit cattle or gluttons, or those who make their belly their god. To prove that these are foolish words, answer me this: Suppose there were a king and a general, and while the king was asleep or drunk, the general endured hardship and set up a trophy—whose would you consider the victory to be? Who would enjoy the pleasure of what was done? Do you see that the soul is especially attached to those things for which she has labored? And therefore God has joined labors to virtue, wishing to make us attached to her. For this reason we admire virtue, even if we do not act rightly ourselves, while we condemn vice even though it is very pleasant. And if you say, Why do we not admire those who are good by nature more than those who are so by choice? we reply, Because it is right to prefer the one who labors to the one who does not labor. For why do we labor? It is because you could not endure moderation when you did not have to labor. Moreover, if one examines carefully, laziness in other ways also tends to ruin us and cause us much trouble. If you wish, let us shut a man up, only feeding and indulging him, not allowing him to walk or taking him out to work, but let him enjoy table and bed and be in luxury continually—what could be more miserable than such a life? But, someone says, to work is one thing, to labor is another. Yes, but it was in man's power then to work without labor. And is this, he says, possible? Yes, it is possible; God even desired it, but you could not endure it. Therefore He placed you to work in the garden, assigning employment, but joining with it no labor. For if man had labored at the beginning, God would not afterwards have imposed labor as punishment. For it is possible to work and not be weary, as the angels do. To prove that they work, hear what David says: You who excel in strength, you who do His word (Psalm 103:20, Septuagint). Lack of strength causes much labor now, but then it was not so. For the one who has entered into His rest has ceased, as someone says, from his works, as God from His (Hebrews 4:10)—not meaning idleness here, but the ceasing from labor. For God works even now, as Christ says, My Father works until now, and I work (John 5:17). Therefore I urge you that, setting aside all carelessness, you be eager for virtue. For the pleasure of wickedness is short, but the pain is lasting; of virtue, on the contrary, the joy does not grow old, the labor is only for a season. Virtue even before the crowns are distributed encourages her worker and feeds him with hopes; vice even before the time of punishment torments the one who works for her, wringing and terrifying his conscience, and making it prone to imagine all evils. Are not these things worse than any labors, than any toils? And even if these things were not so, if there were pleasure, what could be more worthless than that pleasure? For as soon as it appears it flies away, withering and escaping before it has been grasped, whether you speak of the pleasure of beauty, or of luxury, or of wealth, for they do not cease to decay daily. But when there is besides punishment and vengeance for this pleasure, what can be more miserable than those who pursue it? Knowing this, then, let us endure all things for virtue, so we shall enjoy true pleasure, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.
2. Let us be ashamed then, beloved, let us be ashamed, and groan over our excessive sloth. Thirty and eight years had that man been waiting without obtaining what he desired, and withdrew not. And he had failed not through any carelessness of his own, but through being oppressed and suffering violence from others, and not even thus did he grow dull; while we if we have persisted for ten days to pray for anything and have not obtained it, are too slothful afterwards to employ the same zeal. And on men we wait for so long a time, warring and enduring hardships and performing servile ministrations, and often at last failing in our expectation, but on our Master, from whom we are sure to obtain a recompense greater than our labors, (for, says the Apostle, Hope makes not ashamed Romans 5:5) on Him we endure not to wait with becoming diligence. What chastisement does this deserve! For even though we could receive nothing from Him, ought we not to deem the very conversing with Him continually the cause of ten thousand blessings? But continual prayer is a laborious thing. And what that belongs to virtue is not laborious? In truth, says some one, this very point is full of great difficulty, that pleasure is annexed to vice, and labor to virtue. And many, I think, make this a question. What then can be the reason? God gave us at the beginning a life free from care and exempt from labor. We used not the gift aright, but were perverted by doing nothing, and were banished from Paradise. On which account He made our life for the future one of toil, assigning as it were His reasons for this to mankind, and saying, I allowed you at the beginning to lead a life of enjoyment, but you were rendered worse by liberty, wherefore I commanded that henceforth labor and sweat be laid upon you. And when even this labor did not restrain us, He next gave us a law containing many commandments, imposing it on us like bits and curbs placed upon an unruly horse to restrain his prancings, just as horse breakers do. This is why life is laborious, because not to labor is wont to be our ruin. For our nature cannot bear to be doing nothing, but easily turns aside to wickedness. Let us suppose that the man who is temperate, and he who rightly performs the other virtues, has no need of labor, but that they do all things in their sleep, still how should we have employed our ease? Would it not have been for pride and boastfulness? But wherefore, says some one, has great pleasure been attached to vice, great labor and toil to virtue? Why, what thanks would you have had, and for what would you have received a reward, if the matter had not been one of difficulty? Even now I can show you many who naturally hate intercourse with women, and avoid conversation with them as impure; shall we then call these chaste, shall we crown these, tell me, and proclaim them victors? By no means. Chastity is self-restraint, and the mastering pleasures which fight, just as in war the trophies are most honorable when the contest is violent, not when no one raises a hand against us. Many are by their very nature passionless; shall we call these good tempered? Not at all. And so the Lord after naming three manners of the eunuch state, leaves two of them uncrowned, and admits one into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:12 But what need, says one, was there of wickedness? I say this too. What is it then which made wickedness to be? What but our willful negligence? But, says one, there ought to be only good men. Well, what is proper to the good man? Is it to watch and be sober, or to sleep and snore? And why, says one, seemed class="greek">thoughtest thou. " }}–> it not good that a man should act rightly without laboring? You speak words which become the cattle or gluttons, or who make their belly their god. For to prove that these are the words of folly, answer me this. Suppose there were a king and a general, and while the king was asleep or drunk, the general should endure hardship and erect a trophy, whose would you count the victory to be? Who would enjoy the pleasure of what was done? Do you see that the soul is more especially disposed towards those things for which she has labored? And therefore God has joined labors to virtue, wishing to make us attached to her. For this cause we admire virtue, even although we act not rightly ourselves, while we condemn vice even though it be very pleasant. And if you say, Why do we not admire those who are good by nature more than those who are so by choice? we reply, Because it is just to prefer him that labors to him that labors not. For why is it that we labor? It is because thou did not bear with moderation the not laboring. Nay more, if one enquire exactly, in other ways also sloth is wont to undo us, and to cause us much trouble. Let us, if you will, shut a man up, only feeding and pampering him, not allowing him to walk nor conducting him forth to work, but let him enjoy table and bed, and be in luxury continually; what could be more wretched than such a life? But, says one, to work is one thing, to labor is another. Yea, but it was in man's power then to work without labor. And is this, says he, possible? Yea, it is possible; God even desired it, but you endured it not. Therefore He placed you to work in the garden, marking out employment, but joining with it no labor. For had man labored at the beginning, God would not afterwards have put labor by way of punishment. For it is possible to work and not to be wearied, as do the angels. To prove that they work, hear what David says; You that excel in strength, you that do His word. Psalm 103:20, Septuagint Want of strength causes much labor now, but then it was not so. For he that has entered into His rest, has ceased, says one, from his works, as God from His Hebrews 4:10: not meaning here idleness, but the ceasing from labor. For God works even now, as Christ says, My Father works hitherto, and I work. John 5:17 Wherefore I exhort you that, laying aside all carelessness, you be zealous for virtue. For the pleasure of wickedness is short, but the pain lasting; of virtue, on the contrary, the joy grows not old, the labor is but for a season. Virtue even before the crowns are distributed animates her workman, and feeds him with hopes; vice even before the time of vengeance punishes him who works for her, wringing and terrifying his conscience, and making it apt to imagine all ( evils). Are not these things worse than any labors, than any toils? And if these things were not so, if there were pleasure, what could be more worthless than that pleasure? For as soon as it appears it flies away, withering and escaping before it has been grasped, whether you speak of the pleasure of beauty, or that of luxury, or that of wealth, for they cease not daily to decay. But when there is besides (for this pleasure) punishment and vengeance, what can be more miserable than those who go after it? Knowing then this, let us endure all for virtue, so shall we enjoy true pleasure, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.