St John Chapter x : Verses 19-30
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| My sheep hear my voice J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
19 A dissension rose again among the Jews for these words.
20 And many of them said: He hath a devil, and is mad: why hear you him?
21 Others said: These are not the words of one that hath a devil: Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.
24 The Jews therefore came round about him, and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.
26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me.
28 And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand.
29 That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father.
30 I and the Father are one.
19 ⸀Σχίσμα πάλιν ἐγένετο ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους.19 Dissensio iterum facta est inter Judaeos propter sermones hos.20 ἔλεγον δὲ πολλοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν· Δαιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται· τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε;20 Dicebant autem multi ex ipsis : Daemonium habet, et insanit : quid eum auditis?21 ⸀ἄλλοι ἔλεγον· Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα οὐκ ἔστιν δαιμονιζομένου· μὴ δαιμόνιον δύναται τυφλῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ⸀ἀνοῖξαι;21 Alii dicebant : Haec verba non sunt daemonium habentis : numquid daemonium potest caecorum oculos aperire?22 Ἐγένετο ⸀τότε τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐν ⸀τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις· ⸀χειμὼν ἦν,22 Facta sunt autem Encaenia in Jerosolymis, et hiems erat.23 καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐν τῇ στοᾷ ⸀τοῦ Σολομῶνος.23 Et ambulabat Jesus in templo, in porticu Salomonis.24 ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός, εἰπὲ ἡμῖν παρρησίᾳ.24 Circumdederunt ergo eum Judaei, et dicebant ei : Quousque animam nostram tollis? si tu es Christus, dic nobis palam.25 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Εἶπον ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε· τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρός μου ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ·25 Respondit eis Jesus : Loquor vobis, et non creditis : opera quae ego facio in nomine Patris mei, haec testimonium perhibent de me :26 ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε, ⸂ὅτι οὐκ⸃ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ⸀ἐμῶν.26 sed vos non creditis, quia non estis ex ovibus meis.27 τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ⸀ἀκούουσιν, κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτά, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσίν μοι,27 Oves meae vocem meam audiunt, et ego cognosco eas, et sequuntur me :28 κἀγὼ ⸂δίδωμι αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον⸃, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσει τις αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου.28 et ego vitam aeternam do eis, et non peribunt in aeternum, et non rapiet eas quisquam de manu mea.29 ὁ πατήρ μου ⸀ὃ δέδωκέν ⸀μοι ⸂πάντων μεῖζων⸃ ἐστιν, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται ἁρπάζειν ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ ⸀πατρός.29 Pater meus quod dedit mihi, majus omnibus est : et nemo potest rapere de manu Patris mei.30 ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν.30 Ego et Pater unum sumus.
Annotations
20. And many of them said: He hath a devil, and is mad: why hear you him? For he is proud as Lucifer, and instigated by him, He calls God His Father and makes Himself the Son of God.
He is thoroughly mad in saying that he lays down His life of Himself, though we see that He is alive, and no one does so except by compulsion. Moreover, Christ did not reply to these calumnies, as not being worthy of an answer, and also because He allowed those who supported Him to answer, for we give greater credit to others than to one who testifies of himself.
21. Others said: These are not the words of one that hath a devil: Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
22. And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: When the first temple was dedicated, as S. Cyril holds, or rebuilt by Zerubbabel, as S. Chrysostom and others suppose, or what is more probable its rededication, after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes. The feast was held on the 25th of the month Casleu. It was celebrated with great rejoicing, and was called the feast of Lights (see Josephus, Ant. xii. 2, and 2 Macc. i. 18). All which S. John records from chap vii. 2 to this point took place in the two months between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of the Dedication: and in the three following months up to the Feast of the Passover there occurred the events which are recorded here to the end of the Gospel, and also in S. Luke from chap. xv. onwards.
Tropologically:—These Encœnia set forth the renewal of a mind polluted by sin, and sanctified and consecrated anew to God by repentance.
and it was winter. This was stated, says Theophylact, to signify the approaching time of the Passion which took place the following spring. S. Cyril adds that it was said in order to give the reason why Jesus walked in the Porch, so as to be under cover from the cold. Mystically there is here signified (says the Gloss) the coldness of the Jews, who draw not near to the fire, i.e. who believe not in Christ. S. Augustine says,
➤“The Jews were cold in charity and love, and were burning with eagerness to do hurt; they approached Him not as followers, but pressed on Him as persecutors.”
“Do thou also,” says Theophylact, “while it is winter, that is while this present life is shaken with the whirlwinds of iniquity, keep the spiritual dedication feast, by daily renewing thyself, and by ordering the ascensions of thy heart.” Christ will be present to thee in Solomon’s Porch, making for thee a peaceable resting-place.
23. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. In the Porch (or Portico), the outer part of the temple. In Solomon’s porch. The temple of the Jews had two parts. The first, the Sanctuary, frequented only by the Priests, who discharged three functions, burning morning and evening incense on the altar of incense, lighting the lamps and replacing the shew-bread every Sabbath. The inner part, the Holy of Holies, which the High Priest alone entered once every year on the day of expiation. But since Christ was not descended from the tribe of Levi, He could not enter either of these parts of the temple.
But in front of the temple there was a Court or Vestibule; the upper part was the court of the Priests, the outer part, adjoining the inner court, was the court of the people, where they prayed and witnessed the sacrifices which were offered in the Court of the Priests. It was in this Court that Christ went to and fro and taught, and it had porticoes all round it, in which the people took shelter from the weather. Ribera (de Templo, I. 6) and others think that this was called Solomon’s Porch. Others with Villalpandus, Maldonatus, &c., think more probably that this particular portico was called Solomon’s as having been built by him long after the building of the temple, when the slope of the hill was levelled, and the portico was built at the eastern side of the temple. (See Josephus, B. Jud. vi. 6.) It was called Solomon’s to distinguish it from the other porticoes which others added to the temple. Or else, as Baronius thinks, when the temple was burnt by the Chaldeans this portico alone remained, or else was rebuilt in the same form as that in which it had been erected by Solomon. (See on Acts iii. 11.)
24. The Jews therefore came round about him, and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? How long dost thou keep us in suspense? We wish to see the Messiah, and hope that Thou wilt declare Thyself to be He. They pretend this, in order to draw a confession from Christ, on which to accuse Him. For as says S. Augustine,
➤“They do not desire the truth, but are getting up a charge, to accuse Him of making Himself the Messiah.” So also S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Euthymius.
But Christ so guarded His reply as not to give room for a false charge, and yet made it clear to the faithful that He was Christ the Son of God.
If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. That we may all be able to worship Thee openly as the Messiah. So did these hypocrites fulfil the predictions of David (For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. Ps. xxi. 17 and They surrounded me like bees, and they burned like fire among thorns: Ps. cxvii. 12). For, as S. Chrysostom says, “Christ spake everything openly, and said nothing secretly.” And S. Augustine, “They sought to hear from Him that He was Christ, that so they might accuse Him of claiming kingly power.”
25. Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me. I have told you plainly that I am the Messiah. But ye said, Thou bearest witness of Thyself. Thy witness is not true (John viii. 15). But what I have said I constantly confirm by miracles. For I do them in the name, that is by the authority, will, and supernatural Power of God the Father. But ye continue obstinately in your unbelief, and falsely state that they are the works of the devil. How then will ye believe My words? So S. Chrysostom.
26. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. Ye will not submit to Me as your Shepherd, and accept Me as your Messiah. But ye rather wish Me to submit Myself to you, and to be My superiors, censors, and calumniators. It is ambition which makes you grudge Me the headship of the Church; and that ye refuse to believe Me. S. Augustine by “sheep” understands the elect. But this is not the proper nor the adequate cause of their rejecting Christ. For reprobation is not the cause, but rather the result of unbelief and sin. It was not that God had cast off the Jews that they sinned by unbelief. But it was because they chose to disbelieve and sin, that God cast them off. And it was not an adequate cause, because many of them who disbelieved in Him, believed in Him afterwards through the preaching of the apostles. And again some then believed in Christ who were not predestinated, but afterwards fell away into sin, as Judas and others.
27. My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me. He leaves the inference to them: but ye hear not my voice, and are therefore not My sheep. (See above, ver. 4.)
28. And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand. The sheep of Christ are of two kinds:
- first, all Christians; and
- secondly, those alone who are predestinated to glory.
The words of Christ relate to the second class. And S. Augustine shows why they do not perish. For they are of those sheep of whom it is said, “The Lord knoweth who are His.” They are specially the sheep of Christ, none of whom perish. And yet of the former class Christ also says,
👉“I give unto them eternal life,” that is, as far as I may. I make them the promise. I give them all necessary helps. I wish for their salvation. If then any of them perish it is not My fault but theirs, for they will not co-operate with My grace. For neither the devil nor any one else is able to pluck them out of My hand, if they resolve to abide in it, and will not be torn away. For My grace, if they coöperate with it, has power to keep them from being taken from Me. But if they leave Me of their own will, it is not a tearing away, but their own voluntary act.
So S. Cryil, Leontius, Theophylact, and Maldonatus. Christ means to say that no power can take them away, but they have full liberty to go away from Christ.
I give them life everlasting, that is if they abide in faith and obedience to Me. I give it in this world through grace by hope, and I will hereafter give it in glory. He invites the Jews by this promise to become His sheep, and reproves them for refusing to do so. The faithful are in the “hand,” that is under the protection and guardianship of Christ. This is signified by the hand, which ministers to the whole body (see S. Isidore, Etym. xi. I).
29. That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: (the Vulgate and Latin lathers read “majus,” the Greek fathers μείξων), and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father. Because the Divine Nature which the Father gave Me, and its almighty power, is greater than all created beings, even angels and devils, and as no one can pluck them out of My Father’s hand, so can they not pluck them out of My own, for the hand and the power of the Father and Myself are one and the same. (So S. Augustine, Bede, Maldonatus; and see S. Ambrose, de Spir. Sancto, iii. 18. S. Hilary, de Trin. lib. vii., and Tertullian, contra Praxeam). He says this against the Jews who regarded Him as a mere man, “Know then that the Eternal Father gave Me a Divine Nature and Personality far higher than any created nature, whether angels or men.” Others explain it, that the sheep committed to Me by the Father must be more highly valued by Me than anything else; and no one can pluck them either out of My Father’s hand, or out of My own hand. But the first explanation is both the most sublime, and most full of meaning.
S. Cyril explains it thus, “My Father has committed to Me, His Incarnate Son, the care of His sheep. As God I have equal power with Him, and as man My hand is strengthened by the Almighty Hand of the Father.” Whence the Interlinear Gloss explains the word “hand” by “Me, who am the Hand of the Father.” For as S. Augustine says, “men call their ‘hands’ those persons through whom they do what they wish.” The two explanations come to the same thing.
30. I and the Father are one, not only by agreement and consent of will, as the Arians hold, but also one in Essence and Godhead, the same in number,* not in species, for otherwise there would be more Gods than one. Christ speaks here as God and the Word of the Father. And from this the fathers prove His Godhead against the Arians. And the Jews understood the words in the same sense, and consequently sought to stone Him as a blasphemer. And Christ Himself explained them in the same sense, for He said, I am the Son of God. It is clear also from His line of argument, “being one with the Father I have the same Almighty power.” For where the essence is the same, the power is also the same. So says S. Hilary (de Trinit. lib. viii.), “The Father and the Son are One. not as He speaks of the faithful (in chap. 17), ‘That they may be one,’ but one in nature, honour, and power.” “He steers between Scylla and Charybdis,” says S. Augustine (in loc.), “between Arius and Sabellius; for by speaking of ‘One’ He signifies Oneness of nature. But by saying ‘we are’ He indicates a plurality of persons, which Sabellius denied, affirming that God was One in Person, as well as in Essence.” S. Augustine says the same (de Trinit. vi. 2). See Bellarmine (de Christo, i. 6).
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SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.
The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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