HOMILY LVII. 4, 25. 2 John MATT. xvii. 10. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the NoT then from the Scriptures did they know this, but the Scribes used to explain themselves, and this saying was reported abroad amongst the ignorant people; as about Christ also. Wherefore the Samaritan woman also said, Messiah cometh; 1 John when He is come, He will tell us all things': and they themselves asked John, Art thou Elias, or the Prophet? For 1,21. the saying, as I said, prevailed, both that concerning the Christ and that concerning Elias, not however rightly interpreted by them. For the Scriptures speak of two Advents of Christ, both this that is past, and that which is to come; and declaring these Paul said, The grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and Titus 2, godly. Behold the one, hear how he declares the other 11. 12. also; for having said these things, he added, Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of our great God and Saviour 4 ibid. v. Jesus Christ'. And the Prophets too mention both; of the one, however, that is, of the second, they say Elias will be the forerunner. For of the first, John was forerunner; whom Christ called also Elias, not because he was Elias, but because he was fulfilling the ministry of that Prophet. For as the one shall be forerunner of the second Advent, so was 13. In what sense Elias is come, and not come. 773 XVII. the other too of the first. But the Scribes, confusing these MATT. things and perverting the people, made mention of that other 11. only to the people, the second Advent, and said, " If This man is the Christ, Elias ought to have come beforehand." Therefore the disciples too speak as follows, How then say the Scribes, Elias must first come? Therefore also the Pharisees sent unto John, and asked him, Art thou Elias1? making no mention any where of the John former Advent. What then is the solution, which Christ alleged? "Elias indeed cometh then, before My second Advent; and now too is Elias come;" so calling John. 1, 21. In this sense Elias is come: but if thou wouldest seek the Tishbite, he is coming. Wherefore also He said, Elias truly v. 11. cometh, and shall restore all things. All what things? Such as the Prophet Malachi spake of; for I will send you, saith He, Elias the Tishbite, who shall restore the heart of father to son, lest I come and utterly smite the earth2. Seest thou the accuracy of prophetical language? how, because Christ called John, Elias, by reason of their community of office, lest thou shouldest suppose this to be the meaning of the Prophet too in this place, He added His country also, saying, the Tishbite; whereas John was not a Tishbite. And herewith He sets down another sign also, saying, Lest I come and utterly smite the earth, signifying His second and dreadful Advent. For in the first He came not to smite the earth. For, I came not, saith He, to judge the world, but to save the world3. 2 Mal. 4, 5. 6. 3 John 12, 47. To shew therefore that the Tishbite comes before that other Advent, which hath the Judgment, He said this. And the reason too of his coming He teaches withal. And what is this reason? That when He is come, he may persuade the Jews to believe in Christ, and that they may not all utterly perish at His coming. Wherefore He too, guiding them on to that remembrance, saith, And he shall restore all things; that is, shall correct the unbelief of the Jews that are then in being. Hence the extreme accuracy of his expression; in that he said not, "He will restore the heart of the son to the father," but of the father to the son*. For the Jews being XX. 4 See LVII. 774 In what sense St. John Baptist is Elias. HOMIL. fathers of the Apostles, his meaning is, that he will restore to the doctrines of their sons, that is, of the Apostles, the hearts of the fathers, that is, the Jewish people's mind". 1, 2. v.12,13. 11, 14. But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. Then they understood that He spake to them of John. And yet neither the Scribes said this, nor the Scriptures; but because now they were sharper and more attentive to His sayings, they quickly caught His meaning. And whence did the disciples know this? He had already 1 Matt. told them, He is Elias, which was for to come1; but here, that he hath come; and again, that Elias cometh and will restore all things. But be not thou troubled, nor imagine that His statement wavers, though at one time He said, “he will come," at another, "he hath come." For all these things are true. Since when He saith, Elias indeed cometh, and will restore all things, He means Elias himself, and the conversion of the Jews which is then to take place; but when He saith, Which was for to come, He calls John, Elias, with regard to the manner of his ministration. Yea, and so the Prophets used to call every one of their approved kings, ? Isa. 1, David; and the Jews, rulers of Sodom, and sons of 3 Amos Ethiopians; because of their ways. For as the other shall be forerunner of the second Advent, so was this of the first. 10. 9, 7. v. 12. [2.] And not for this only doth He call him Elias every where, but to signify His perfect agreement with the Old Testament, and that this Advent too is according to prophecy. Wherefore also He adds again, He came, and they knew him not, but have done unto him all things whatsoever they listed. What means, all things whatsoever they listed? They cast him into prison, they used him despitefully, they slew him, they brought his head in a charger. a As to Elijah's future coming, see St. Just. Mart. Dial. adv. Tryph. p. 268. ed. Paris. 1636: Tert. de Anim. 35; de Resur. Carnis, 22; Origen (more doubtfully) in S. Matt. tom. 13. iii. 572; in S. Joan. tom. 3. iv. 92. S. Jer. in S. Matt. 11, 15. (t. 7. 70. Vallars. 1771.) but doubtingly; in loco, p. 132. more positively; S. Aug. in S. Joan. Tr. iv. 5, 6. de Civ. Dei, 20. 29: who speaks positively of his coming to convert the Jews, as being " a most common topic in the mouths and hearts of the faithful." b This refers apparently to such texts as Jer. 30, 9; Ezek. 34, 23. 24; 37, 24; Hos. 3, 5. Our Lord's Purpose in mentioning St. John's Passion. 775 XVII. 12, 13. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. Seest MATT. thou how again He in due season reminds them of His Passion, laying up for them great store of comfort from the Passion of John. And not in this way only, but also by presently working great miracles. Yea, and whensoever He speaks of His Passion, presently He works miracles, both after those sayings and before them: and in many places one may find Him to have kept this rule. Then, for instance, it saith, He began to signify how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and be killed, and suffer many things. Then: when? when He was confessed to be Christ, and the Son of God. Again on the mountain, when He had shewn them the marvellous vision, and the Prophets had been discoursing of His glory, He reminded them of His Passion. For having spoken of the history concerning John, He added, Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. And after a little while again, when He had cast out the devil, which His disciples were not able to cast out; for then too, As they abode in Galilee, so it saith, Jesus said unto them, The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, and they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall rise again2. 1 Matt. 16, 21. 2 Matt. Now in doing this, He by the greatness of the miracles was 17, 23. abating the excess of their sorrow, and in every way consoling them; even as here also, by the mention of John's death, He afforded them much consolation. But should any one say, "Wherefore did He not even now raise up Elias and send him, witnessing as He doth so great good of his coming?" we should reply, that even as it was, while thinking Christ to be Elias, they did not believe Him. For some say, such are the words, that Thou art Elias, and others, Jeremias 3. And indeed between John and Elias, 3 Matt. there was no difference but the time only. "Then how will 16, 14. they believe at that time?" it may be said. Why, he will restore all things, not simply by being recognised, but also because the glory of Christ will have been growing more intense up to that day, and will be among all clearer than、 When therefore, preceded by such an opinion and expectation, he comes making the same proclamation as the sun. LVII. 776 The Lunatic Child's Father, how weak in Faith. HOMIL. John, and himself also announcing Jesus, they will more 2, 3. easily receive his sayings. But in saying, They knew him 1 conf. not, He is excusing also what was done in His own case1. Luke23, 24. And not in this way only doth He console them, but also by pointing out that John's sufferings at their hands, whatever they are, are undeserved; and by His throwing into the shade what would annoy them, by means of two signs, the one on the mountain, the other just about to take place. But when they heard these things, they do not ask Him when Elias cometh; being straitened either by grief at His Passion, or by fear. For on many occasions, upon seeing Him unwilling to speak a thing clearly, they are silent, and so an end. For instance, when during their abode in v.22,23. Galilee He said, The Son of Man shall be betrayed, and they shall kill Him; it is added by Mark, That they 2 Mark understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask Him2; 9, 32. by Luke, That it was hid from them, that they might not 9, 45. perceive it, and they feared to ask Him of that saying3. 3 Luke v.14-16. 9, 23. [3.] And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a man, kneeling down to Him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic, and sore vexed; for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him unto Thy disciples, and they could not cure him. This man the Scripture signifies to be exceedingly weak in faith; and this is many ways evident; from Christ's sayMark ing, All things are possible to him that believeth*; from the saying of the man himself that approached, Help Thou mine 5 ib. 24. unbelief': from Christ's commanding the devil to enter no 6 ib. 25. more into him; and from the man's saying again to Christ, 7 ib. 22. If Thou canst". "Yet if his unbelief was the cause," it may be said, "that the devil went not out, why doth He blame the disciples?" Signifying, that even without persons to bring the sick in faith, they might in many instances work a cure. For as the faith of the person presenting oftentimes availed for receiving the cure, even from inferior ministers; so the power of the doers oftentimes sufficed, even without belief in those who came to work the miracle. And both these things are signified in the Scripture. For both they of the company of Cornelius by their faith drew |