Of the meat that never perisheth. VI. 26. 'none' down' 381 worketh for the meat that perisheth. So too, if a man by JOHN his labour should feed Christ, and give Him drink, and clothe Him, who so senseless and mad as to say that such1al. an one labours for the meat that perisheth, when there is for 2 al.'unthis the promise of the kingdom that is to come, and of those schooled, good things? This meat endureth for ever. But at that time, since the multitudes made no account of faith, nor sought to learn Who it was that did these things, and by what power, but desired one thing only, to fill their bellies without working; Christ with good reason called such food, meat that perisheth. "I fed," He saith, "your bodies, that after this ye might seek that other food which endureth, which nourisheth the soul; but ye again run' after that which is 3 al.' fall earthy. Therefore ye do not understand that I lead you' not to this imperfect food, but to that which giveth not temporal but eternal life, which nourisheth not the body but the soul." Then when He had uttered such great words concerning Himself, and had said that He would give this food, in order that what was spoken might not stand in their way, to make His saying credible He attributeth the supply to the Father. For after saying, Which the Son of Man shall give you; He addeth, Him hath God the Father sealed, that is," hath sent Him for this purpose, that He might bring the food to you." The saying also admits of another interpretation; for in another place Christ saith, Hec. 3, 33. that heareth My words, hath set to his seal that God is true, that is, hath "shewed forth undeniably." Which indeed the expression seems to me to hint at even in this place, for the Father hath sealed, is nothing else than " hath declared," "hath revealed by His testimony." He in fact declared Himself too, but since He was speaking to Jews, He brought forward the testimony of the Father. [2] Learn we then, beloved, to ask of God the things which it is meet for us to ask of Him. For those other things, those, I mean, which belong to this life, whichever way they may fall out, can do us no injury; for if we be rich, it is here only that we shall enjoy our luxury; and if we fall into poverty, we shall suffer nothing terrible. For neither the splendours nor the pains of the present life have much power in respect either of despondency or pleasure, they are XLIV. 1 al. 382 Things temporal compared with spiritual. HOMIL. Contemptible, and slip away very swiftly. Wherefore they are called "a way," with reason, because they pass away, and by their very nature do not long endure, but the things which are to come endure eternally both those of punishment and those of the Kingdom. Let us then in regard of these things use much diligence to avoid the first and to choose. the last. For what is the advantage of this world's luxury? To-day it is, and to-morrow it is not; to-day a bright flower, to-morrow scattered dust; to-day a burning fire, to-morrow smouldering ashes. But spiritual things are not so, they ever remain shining and blooming, and becoming brighter every day. That wealth never perishes', never departs, ⚫ ceases' never ceases, never brings with it care or envy or blame, destroys not the body, corrupts not the soul, is without ill will, heaps not up malice; all which things attend on the other kind of wealth. That honour lifts not men into folly, doth not make them puffed up, never ceases nor is dimmed. Again, the rest and delight of heaven endureth continually, ever being immoveable and immortal, one cannot find its end or limit. This life then let us desire, for if we do so we shall make no account of present things, but shall despise and mock at them all, and though one should bid us enter into kingly halls, we shall not while we have this hope choose to do so; yet nothing (earthly) seems more near to happiness than such a permission; but to those who are possessed by love of heaven, even this seems little and mean, and worthy of no account. Nothing which comes to an end is to be much desired; whatever ceases, and to-day is and to-morrow is not, even though it be very great, yet seems to be very little and contemptible. Then let us not cling to fleeting things. which slip away and depart, but to those which are enduring 2al 'that and immoveable. To which may we all attain, through the also be grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom able to and with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, we may attain them.' now and ever and world without end. Amen. bal. are called by God a way, for narrow; but things to come, &c.' there is one broad, and one strait and HOMILY XLV. JOHN vi. 29-30. μεν Then said they unto Him, What shall we do', that we might oμev work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto [ποιοῦthem, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him G. T.} Whom He hath sent. They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see and believe thee? what dost thou work? THERE is nothing worse, nothing more shameful, than gluttony; it makes the mind gross, and the soul carnal; it blinds, and permits not to see clearly. Observe, for instance, how this is the case with the Jews; for because they were intent upon gluttony, entirely occupied with worldly things, and without any spiritual thoughts, though Christ leads them on by ten thousand sayings, sharp and at the same time forbearing, even thus they arise not, but continue grovelling below. For consider; He said to them, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the bread, and were filled; He touched them by the reproof, He shewed them what food they ought to seek, saying, Labour not for the meat that perisheth; He set before them the prize, saying, but that which endureth unto everlasting life; then provided a remedy for what might have been an objection, by declaring that He was sent from the Father. What then did they? As though they had heard nothing, they said, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? This they said, not that they might learn and do 384 Why the Jews mentioned the manna. HOMIL. them, (as the sequel shews,) but to induce Him again to XLV. supply them with food, and desiring to persuade Him to their satisfy them. What then saith Christ? This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent. On this they asked, What sign shewest thou, that we may see and believe? Ver. 31. Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness. Nothing more senseless, nothing more unreasonable, than a. in these men! While the miracle was yet in their hands', as though none had been done, they spake after this manner, What sign shewest thou? and having thus spoken, they do not even allow Him the right of choosing the sign, but think to force Him to exhibit none other than such a one as was wrought in the days of their fathers; wherefore they say, Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, thinking by this to provoke Him to work such a miracle as might supply them with carnal nourishment. Else why did they mention none other of the miracles of old, though many took place in those times, both in Egypt and at the sea and in the wilderness, but only that of the manna? Was it not because they greatly desired that one by reason of the tyranny of their bellies? Ye who when ye saw His miracle called Him a Prophet, and attempted to make Him a king, how is that now, as though none had been wrought, ye have become thankless and ill-minded, and ask for a sign, uttering words fit for parasites, or hungry dogs? Does the manna now seem wonderful to you? Your soul is not now 2 parched 2 al. • when your soul is' up. Mark too their hypocrisy. They said not, "Moses did this sign, what doest thou?" thinking it would annoy Him; but for a while they address Him with great reverence, through expectation of food. So they neither said, "God did this, what doest thou?" that they might not seem to make Him equal with God; nor did they bring forward Moses, that they might not seem to lower Him, but put the matter in an intermediate form, Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness. He indeed might have replied, "I, but now, have wrought greater wonders than did Moses, requiring no rod, having no need of prayer, but doing all of Myself; and, if ye call to remembrance the manna, see, I have given you Why Christ referreth the Jews to the Father. 385 VI. 32. bread." But this was not the season for such speeches; JOHN and the one thing He earnestly desired was, to bring them to spiritual food. And observe His infinite wisdom in His manner of answering. Ver. 32. Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. Why said He not, "It was not Moses that gave it you, but I;" but putteth God in the place of Moses, and Himself instead of manna? Because the infirmity of His hearers was great. As is seen from what followeth. For not even when He had spoken thus did He secure their attention, although He said at first, Ye seek Me, not because v. 26. ye saw the miracle, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Now because they sought these (carnal) things, He would have corrected them by His succeeding words, yet not even so did they desist. When He promised the Samaritan woman that He would give her the water, He made no mention of the Father. What saith He? If thou c. 4, 10. knewest Who it is that saith unto thee, Give Me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given unto thee living water; and again, The water which I shall give. He referreth her not to The Father. But here He maketh mention of The Father, that thou mayest understand how great was the faith of the Samaritan woman, and how great the infirmity of the Jews. Ps. 18, 13. Was then the manna not from heaven? How then is it said to be from heaven? In the same manner as Scripture speaketh of fowls of heaven; and again, The Lord thundered Ps. 8, 8. from heaven. And He calleth that other the true bread, not because the miracle of the manna was false, but because it was a type, and not the very truth. But in mentioning Moses, He doth not compare Himself to him, for the Jews did not as yet prefer Him to Moses, of whom they still had a higher opinion. So that after saying, Moses gave not, He addeth not that "I give," but saith that The Father, and not Moses, giveth. They, when they heard this, replied, "Give us this bread to eat ;" for they yet thought that it was something material, they yet expected to gratify their appetites, and so hastily ran to Him. What doth Christ? Leading them on' little by little, He saith, 1 al. 'up' |