1-36 CHAPTER 3 _There was a man_, &c. Nicodemus means in Greek _the conqueror of the people._ Such was this man; who, overcoming the fear of the people, the Pharisees, and the priests, believed in Christ. Wherefore Lucian thus writes concerning him in "The Invention of the Body of S. Stephen," fro... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nicodemus saith_, &c. "He knew," says S. Augustine, "but of one birth, that from Adam and Eve.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus answered_, &c. Calvin, in order to detract from the effect of justification by baptism, and therefore from the necessity of baptism (for he maintains that the children of believers are justified in the womb simply because they are the children of believers), denies that baptism is here spoken... [ Continue Reading ]
_That which is born_ (_produced_), &c. Christ says this both to show the necessity of regeneration by water and the Holy Ghost, and at the same time to declare the reason for it, its excellence and its profit. His argument then is as follows: Flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God, for th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Marvel not_, &c. As S. Chrysostom says, "We are not disputing concerning flesh, but concerning spirit. Do not think either that the Spirit begets flesh, or flesh the Spirit." Therefore it is necessary to be born again of the Spirit, if thou seekest to become spirit or spiritual, and a candidate for... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nicodemus answered_, &c. "For the animal man" (such as Nicodemus at that time was) "perceiveth not the things of the Spirit" (1Co 2:14). Just as rustics do not understand scholastic questions. VER. 10. _Jesus answered_, &c. It was thy duty, O Nicodemus, being a Rabbi, who teachest the Law and the S... [ Continue Reading ]
_Amen, Amen_, &c. "The Divine mysteries of God, of the Holy Ghost, and His spiritual regeneration, which I declare unto thee, I know most truly and most certainly, because I, as God, have seen them by Divine knowledge, and as man by the Beatific Vision. Wherefore ye ought to believe My testimony; bu... [ Continue Reading ]
_If I have told you earthly things_, &c. "If thou understandest not Divine things by means of the earthly similitudes of human generation of flesh and spirit, how wilt thou understand them, if I were to set them before thee without any figures? For this I might do, since I have seen them as they are... [ Continue Reading ]
_And no man hath ascended_, &c. _And_ is put instead of _however._ The meaning is, Ye do not believe Me, and yet no other person hath ascended into heaven, and there beheld the things which I declare, except Myself, who am God and man, and as God have come down to the earth that I might teach them t... [ Continue Reading ]
_For God so loved,_ &c. This is said by way of anticipation, lest Nicodemus should object, "If thou art the Son of God, how will God suffer Thee to be suspended and exalted upon the cross?" Christ meets this by implying that God will permit it in order to show forth His burning love to men, which w... [ Continue Reading ]
_For God sent not,_ &c. He confirms and intensifies the assertion of the infinite love of God to men, as proved by Christ's being crucified. For God might justly have sent His Son into the world to destroy it for its great wickedness. For this was what His justice demanded, but the infinite love of... [ Continue Reading ]
_This is the judgment_, &c. (Vulg.) _Judgment_, i.e., _cause of judgment_, or _condemnation._ This is the cause why those are already condemned who believe not on Me, because they have preferred darkness, and ignorance of God, and of what they ought to do, and their own pleasures and lusts and sins... [ Continue Reading ]
_For every one that doeth evil_, Greek, _φαυ̃λα_, _depraved and perverse things,_ &c. "Every one who does wickedly," says S. Cyril, "refuses the illumination of the light, not because he is ashamed of his wickedness, and repents, for if he did he would be saved, but because he prefers to be in ignor... [ Continue Reading ]
_But he that doeth... in God_, _i.e._, according to God's will and law, and by His guidance, light, and help. _The_ _truth, i.e._, practically by doing what is right and just, and pleasing to God. For as there is truth of the heart and mouth, so is there of deed, by which it comes to pass that an ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_After this_, &c. This means that Jesus went from Jerusalem, a citizen of which Nicodemus appears to have been, to some other part of the land of Judea, because He would avoid the sects and enmities of the chief men of Jerusalem. So S. Chrysostom and others. As the former saith, "He was accustomed t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now John_, &c. _Ænnon_, or _Ennon_, was a town on the banks of the Jordan, eight miles from Bethshan, which was afterwards, from its occupation by the Scythians, called Seythopolis. _Ænnon_ is derived from the Hebrew _ain_, or _an,_ a _well_ or _fountain_, because, as it is said, _there was much wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_For John had not yet been sent_ (Vulg. _missus,_ Greek _cast_) _into prison._ This implies, says S. Chrysostom, that John baptized up to the time of his being cast into prison. For until his death he persevered in the office for which God hath sent him, namely, that by baptizing and preaching he mi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they came_, &c. _Who was with thee beyond Jordan_ : viz., Jesus, who came to thee to be baptized. He now ungratefully makes Himself equal to thee, and usurps thine office of baptizing. You ought therefore to restrain Him; otherwise all will flock from thee to Him, to thy shame as well as ours.... [ Continue Reading ]
_John answered_, &c. He openly repressed the ambition and quarrelsomeness of His disciples. Yea, he declares openly that the right is with Christ. He prefers Him to himself, and gives fresh and ample testimony that He is the Messias. "I cannot without the greatest presumption, pride, and ingratitude... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye yourselves bear me witness_, &c. That I said I went before Him, that as His forerunner, minister, and herald, I should precede His advent. "You know that I have always professed that I am not the Christ, but His forerunner. Why then do you urge me to revoke what I have said, and prefer myself to... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that hath the bride_, &c. "Jesus Christ by His Incarnation hath betrothed unto Himself the Church, which is the whole company of believing people; and God hath given her to Him as a bride to a bridegroom. Jesus therefore is the true husband of the Church, a husband which must be received, and lo... [ Continue Reading ]
_He must increase_, viz., by the flocking of the people to Him, by the abundance and glory of His miracles, in adoration and worship, that the whole world may love and worship Him as Christ. So S. Cyril, to whom listen. "So long as the profundity of the æther is obscured by the shades of night, ever... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that is of the earth_, &c. John prefers Christ to himself, as what is heavenly to what is earthly. As much therefore as heaven is higher than the earth, so greatly is Christ superior to John, according to the words, "The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is of the heaven, heavenl... [ Continue Reading ]
_For whom God hath sent_, &c. He proves what he has said, that he who believes in Jesus Christ signs and testifies by the seal of his faith that God is true, because Jesus whom God sent from heaven to earth, that incarnate in our flesh He might teach and save men - Jesus, I say, speaks not His own w... [ Continue Reading ]
VER. 34. _For whom God hath sent_, &c. He proves what he has said, that he who believes in Jesus Christ signs and testifies by the seal of his faith that God is true, because Jesus whom God sent from heaven to earth, that incarnate in our flesh He might teach and save men - Jesus, I say, speaks not... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Father loveth_, &c. As God the Father loveth the Son without measure, so He giveth all things into His hand, that is, at His disposal and power without measure. _All things_, both corporeal and spiritual: all things, both in heaven and earth, and consequently all the gifts of the Holy Ghost, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that believeth_, &c. _Hath_, in hope and of right, as in the root and seed, but not yet in deed and fruit, nor even actually. He hath faith and grace, which give him the right to glory. But it is grace begun in the spiritual knowledge and love of God, which will be perfected after death in heave... [ Continue Reading ]