The Jews lost their temporal things, despising things eternal. 667

XI.

Jesus had done: whether to announce it to them, that JoHN they too might believe; or rather, for betrayal, to excite 47-51. their rage against Him. But be it how it may, and by whom it may, to the Pharisees the intelligence of these things was brought.

For v. 47.48.

26. The chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council, v. 47. and said, What do we? And yet they said not, Let us believe. For these lost undone men thought more how they might do Him hurt to His undoing, than how they might consult their own interests, that they might not themselves be undone and yet they feared, and did in a sort consult. they said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. They feared to lose their temporal things, eternal life they thought not of, and so lost both. For the Romans, after the Lord's passion and glorifying, did take away from them both place and nation, by conquering the city, and carrying away the people and that follows them which is elsewhere said, But the children of this kingdom shall go into outer darkness. Mat. 8, What they feared, however, was this, that, if all should believe in Christ, there would remain none to defend against the Romans the City and Temple of God; because they felt the doctrine of Christ to be against that same temple, and against their laws inherited from their fathers.

12.

27. And one of them, named Caiphas, being the high v.49-51. priest of that year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest of that year, he prophesied. Here we are taught, that even by bad men the Spirit of Prophecy predicts things to come: which thing, however, the Evangelist attributes to a Divine Sacrament, in that he was pontiff, i. e. high priest. Possibly it may strike us as a difficulty, how he should be called high priest of that year, seeing God appointed but one high priest, upon whose death one other should succeed. But it is to be understood, that in consequence of rivalries and contentions among the Jews, it was afterwards settled that there should be many high priests, and that they

Y y

XLIX.

668 Christ set an example of withdrawing from persecution.

HOMIL. should minister by turns, each one year. Thus of Zacharias also this is said: And it came to pass, that while he Luke 1, 8.9. executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. Hence it appears that there were many of them, and that they had each his turn: for to burn incense was not lawful but for the high priest. And perhaps even for one year there were several in office, to whom in another year others succeeded, of whom one was drawn by lot, to burn v. 51.52. incense. Well then, what did Caiphas prophesy? That

Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. This the Evangelist has added: for Caiphas prophesied only of the nation of the Jews, in which were the sheep whereof the Mat. 15, Lord Himself saith, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But the Evangelist knew there were other sheep, which were not of this fold, which must be John10, brought, that there might be one fold and one Shepherd. These things, however, are said in respect of predestination: for they were neither His sheep, nor sons of God as yet, who had not yet believed.

24.

16.

v.53.54.

28. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephrem, and there continued with His disciples. Not for any defect of power, since it was in His power, had it been His will, to have gone about openly among the Jews, and they should do nothing to Him: but in the weakness of the Man He held forth to His disciples an example of living, wherein it should appear that it is no sin if His believers, who are His members, should withdraw themselves from the eyes of their persecutors, and by hiding rather avoid the rage of wicked men, than by offering themselves inflame it all the more.

This statement, perhaps taken from Euseb. H. E. i. 10. (vol. i. p. 69. ed. Heinichen,) rests, as there, upon a mistaken inference from Josephus, Ant. xviii. 2, 1. 2. That Zacharias was high priest, St. Augustine concludes

merely from the fact of his burning incense, probably having in view Exod. 30, 7. where it is said, "Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning."

HOMILY L.

JOHN xi. 55. xii. 11.

Now the Jews' Passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to sanctify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that He will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where He were, he should shew it, that they might take Him. Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone, that against the day of My burying she should keep that. For the poor always ye shall have with you; but Me ye shall not always have. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

670

The Jews' Passover a prophecy of Christ.

L.

HOMIL. 1. YESTERDAY's Lesson of the Holy Gospel, of which we spake that which the Lord gave, this of to-day follows, of which we are about to speak that which the Lord shall give. Some things in the Scriptures are so plain, that a hearer rather than an expositor is all they require: on these it behoves us not to dwell, that so there may be time enough for necessary matters which need to be dwelt upon.

v. 55.

1 trans

2. Now the Jews' Passover was near. The Jews desired to have that holy-day stained with the Lord's blood. On that holy-day was slain the Lamb, Which hath consecrated to us even that same holy-day by His blood. There was among the Jews a design for putting Jesus to death: as He was come from heaven to suffer, it was His will to draw near to the place of His Passion, because the hour of His Passion was close at hand. Many therefore went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to sanctify themselves. This the Jews did, in accordance with the precept of the Lord given by holy Moses in the Law, that, on the feast day which was the Passover, all should assemble from all parts, and be sanctified by the celebration of that day. But that celebration was a shadow of a thing future. How, a shadow of a thing future? A prophecy of Christ Who was to come, a prophecy of Him Who was for us on that day to suffer: that the shadow should pass away', and the light should come; that the sign should pass away, and the truth be kept. The Jews, then, had the Passover in the shadow, we in the light. For what needed the Lord to enjoin them on this same feast day to kill a sheep, but because that sheep was Is.53,7. He of whom it is prophesied, As a sheep was He led to be immolated? The blood of the slain animal was put for a sign upon the Jews' door-posts: with the blood of Christ our foreheads are signed. And that signing, because it was a significant representation, is said to have kept off the destroyer from the houses marked therewith: the sign of Christ drives off from us the destroyer, if our heart receive the Saviour. Why have I said this? Because many have their doorposts marked, and yet the Indweller abideth not within: it may easily be that men have on the forehead the mark of Christ, while yet in the heart they receive not the Word of Christ. Therefore, my brethren, I said, and I repeat it: Christ's mark

iret, Hom.

55, 1.

XII. 56.57.

Let the Church tell the Jews where Christ is! 671 drives from us the destroyer, if our heart have Christ for its JOHN Indweller. These things I have said, in case any should be thinking what could be the meaning of those feasts of the Jews. The Lord, then, came as it were for a victim', that we ad vicmight have the true Passover, when we should celebrate His timam, Passion, as it were the slaying of the sheep for sacrifice. 7. Vulg.

Isai. 53,

15.

3. Then sought they for Jesus: but in evil wise. For v. 56. blessed are they that seek for Jesus, but in a good way. Those men sought for Jesus, that neither they might have Him, nor we: but as He withdrew Himself from them, we received Him. Men are reprehended for seeking, men are praised for seeking: for it is the temper of the seeker that finds either praise or condemnation. Thus thou hast it also in the Psalms, Let them be confounded and ashamed that Ps. 40, seek after my soul: these are they that sought in evil manner. But in another place, He saith, Flight is perished Ps. 142, from Me, and there is none that will seek after My soul. They are blamed that sought, blamed they that sought not. Then let us seek after Christ, to have Him; seek, to hold, but not in order to kill: for even those sought to hold, but to hold, in order that they might soon cease to have. They sought, then, and spake among themselves, What think ye, that He is not coming to the feast-day?

5.

4. Now the chief priests and Pharisees had given com- v. 57. mandment, that if any man knew where He was, he should shew it, that they might take Him. Let us even now shew the Jews, where Christ is! Oh that they would hear and apprehend, whosoever are of the seed of those who gave commandment that it should be shewn them where Christ was! Let them come to the Church, let them hear where Christ is, and apprehend Him. From us let them hear, out of the Gospel let them hear. He was put to death by their fathers, was buried, rose again, was acknowledged by His disciples, before their eyes ascended into heaven, there sitteth at the right hand of the Father; He Who was judged shall come to be Judge: let them hear, and lay hold on Him! They answer: How shall I lay hold on one who is absent, how dart forth an hand unto heaven, to lay hold on Him that sitteth there? Dart forth thy faith, and thou hast laid hold. Thy fathers laid fleshly hold on Him: do thou