His temple, the contrite and sanctified heart. 245 IV. Then didst thou seek a mountain? Come down, that thou JOHN mayest reach Him. But dost thou wish to ascend? Ascend: 1-42. yet seek not a mountain. The goings up (saith one) are in Ps. 84, his heart, (the Psalm saith this,) in the valley of weeping'. A valley implies lowliness. Therefore do thou all within. And if perchance thou seekest some high place, some holy place, make thee a temple for God within. For the temple 1 Cor. of God is holy, which thing are ye. In a temple wouldest thou pray? Pray within thyself. Only first be thou a temple of God, because He in His temple will hear him that prayeth. 3, 17. 26. The hour therefore cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. We worship that we know, ye worship ye know not what; for salvation is of the Jews. Much hath He here given to the Jews: but do not understand it of those reprobates. Understand it of that wall to which is joined another, that, being made at one, they may be joined together in the Corner-stone, which is Christ. For there is one wall of the Jews, another of the Gentiles: far apart those walls, but only until they join together in the Corner. Now the aliens were strangers Eph. 2, and foreigners from the covenants of God. In this regard then is it said, We worship that we know. In the person of the Jews, indeed, this is said, but not of all Jews, not of the reprobate Jews: but of such as were the Apostles, such as were the Prophets, such as were all those saints who sold all Acts 4, they had, and laid the prices of their goods at the Apostles' feet. For God hath not cast off His people which He fore- Rom. knew. 12-22. 34. 35. 11, 2. 27. The woman heard this, and added more. A while ago she had called Him Prophet; she perceived the sayings of Him Who spake with her to be such as now made more for His being a Prophet. And what she said in answer, observe; The woman saith unto Him, I know that Messias v. 25. will come, (which is called Christ:) when therefore He is come, He will shew us all things. What is this? Now,' saith she, 'the Jews are contending for temple, and we contending for Ascensiones in corde ejus in convalle plorationis, avaßáσeis év Tý kapdía αὐτοῦ διέθετο, εἰς τὴν κοιλάδα τοῦ κλαυθ. μwvos, LXX. Ascensiones in corde XV. 246 They who would preach Christ must cast away lusts. HOMIL. mountain: when He is come, He will both spurn mountain and overthrow temple; He will teach us all things, that we may know how to worship in spirit and in truth.' She knew Who had power to teach her, but Him that was even now teaching her she did not yet recognise. Even now therefore she was worthy He should be manifested to her. Messias, however, is Anointed;' Anointed' in Greek is Christus, in Hebrew it is Messias: whence also in Punic Messe' is Anoint. For these are cognate and neighbour languages, Hebrew, Punic, and Syriac. 1 unge 28. To proceed: The woman saith to Him, I know that Messias shall come, (which is called Christ:) when therefore He is come, He will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak with thee, am He. She hath called her hushand, her man is made the head of the woman, and Christ is made 1 Cor. the Head of the man. Henceforth the woman is ordered in 11, 3. faith, and is ruled, to lead a good life. Now that she has heard this word, I that speak with thee am He, what should she say further, seeing Christ the Lord hath willed to manifest Himself to the woman to whom He had said, Believe Me? v. 27. v. 28. 29. And straightway came His disciples, and marvelled that He talked with the woman. That He was seeking a lost one, He, who was come to seek that which was lost, this they marvelled at. For they were marvelling at what was good, not suspecting an evil thing. Yet none said, What seekest Thou, or why talkest Thou with her? 30. The woman therefore left her water-pot. Once having heard, I that speak with thee am He, once having received into her heart Christ the Lord, what should she do but even leave her water-pot, and run to preach the Gospel? She flung away lust, and hasted to make known the truth. Let them learn the lesson, who wish to preach the Gospel: let them fling away their water-pot by the well. Ye remember what I said above about the water-pot. (It was the vessel wherewith water was drawn, it is called [in our Latin Gospel] by its Greek name 'hydria,' because water' in Greek is hydor:' it is all one, as if the Latin word were 'aquarium.') Well, she flung away her water-pot, which was now no longer useful, but only a burthen so eagerly : Where the Prophets sowed, the Apostles reaped. 247 IV. longed she to be satisfied with that water. That she might JOHN tell of Christ, she cast away her burthen, ran to the city, and 1-42. saith to those men: Come, and see a Man Who hath told me all v. 28-30. that ever I did: is even He the Christ? They went forth from the city, and were coming unto Him. 31. And in the saying, Rabbi, eat. had come back. mean time, the disciples besought Him, v.31-33. For they had gone to buy food, and that ye know not of. The disciples said therefore one to another, 32. Say not ye, that there are yet four months, and harvest v. 35. cometh? He was fervent for the work, and was arranging to send out workmen. Ye reckon four months until the harvest; I point out to you another harvest, white and ready. Behold, say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and see that even now are the fields white for the harvest.' Therefore He is about to send I the reapers. For herein is that word true, that one is he that v. 37. reapeth, another that soweth; that both he that reapeth may v. 36. rejoice together, and he that soweth. I have sent you to reap v.38. that whereon ye have not laboured; others have laboured, and ye have entered into their labour. What then? sent He the reapers, not the sowers? Whither the reapers? Where others have already laboured. For where there had been already labour, of course there had been sowing; and what had been sown was now ripened, and craved the sickle and the threshing. Then whither were the reapers to be sent? Where already the Prophets had preached; for these were 248 Where the Apostles sowed, the Angels will reap. XV. HOMIL. the sowers. For if they were not the sowers, whence had it come to that woman, I know that Messias shall come? Already that woman was ripened fruit, and the crops were white, and looked for the sickle. I have sent you then: whither? to reap that ye have not sown: others have sown, and ye are entered into their labours. Who laboured? Even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Read their labours: in all their labours there is prophecy of Christ: and that is why they are sowers. Moses and the rest of the Patriarchs, and all the Prophets, how much they endured in that cold season when they were sowing! So then already in Judæa was the harvest ready. Well may the harvest have been as it were ripe there, when so many thousands of men brought the prices of their goods, and laying them at the Apostles' feet, their shoulders rid of the baggage of the world, followed Christ the Lord: verily a ripe harvest! What came of it? Of this harvest were flung forth a few grains, and sowed the whole earth, and there ariseth another harvest which is to be reaped at the Ps. 126, end of the world. Of this harvest it is said, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. To this harvest, then, not Apostles Mat. 13, but Angels will be sent: the reapers, saith He, are the Angels. This harvest, then, groweth in the midst of tares, and waiteth its cleaning in the end of the world. But that other harvest was already ripe, that to which were first sent the disciples, where the Prophets had laboured. But yet, v. 36. brethren, see what is said; Rejoice together, both he that soweth and he that reapeth. They had their labours, unequal in respect of time: but the joy they shall equally share, for wages they shall alike receive life eternal. 5. 39. v.29-42. 33. And of that city many Samaritans believed on Him, because of the saying of the woman who testified, He told me all that ever I did. And when the Samaritans were come to Him, they besought Him to abide with them, and He abode there two days. And many more believed because of His word, and said to the woman, Now not for thy speech believe we, for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world. This too must be slightly noticed, for the lesson is come to a close. The woman first bore word, and upon the woman's testimony the Samaritans believed, and besought Him to abide with them, and He Belief on testimony, sealed by Christ's Presence. 249 IV. I vimus abode there two days, and many believed: and when they Jon had believed, said to the woman, Not now for thy saying do 142. we believe, but ourselves have1 had knowledge of Him, and are cognosure that this is indeed the Saviour of the world: at first by report of Him, thereafter by His presence. So fares it at this day with them that are without, and not yet Christian; they have tidings of Christ through Christian friends: as upon the tidings borne by that woman, that is to say, the Church, men believe through this report; He abideth with them two days, that is, giveth them two precepts of charity; and many more believe, and believe more firmly, on Him, that of a truth He is the Saviour of the world. |