The true Sabbath, to cease from the slavery of sin. 595

34.

IX.

hear the Lord, Whosoever doeth sin, is the servant of sin. JOHN But these men, neither seeing, as I said, nor anointed, 17-27. carnally observed the sabbath, spiritually violated it. Others John 8, said, How can a man that is a sinner do these signs? Lo, they are men anointed. And there was a division among them. That Day had divided between the light and the darkness. They say therefore unto the blind man again, v. 17. What sayest thou of him who hath opened thine eyes? What thinkest thou of Him? What esteemest, what judgest thou Him to be? They were seeking how they might accuse the man, that he might be cast out of the synagogue; yea, but to be found by Christ. The man, however, constantly expressed what he thought. For he said, He is a Prophet.

Being at present only anointed in heart, he doth not yet confess the Son of God; but neither does he speak false of Him. For the Lord saith it of Himself: a Prophet is not Mat. 13, without honour, save only in his own country.

57.

10. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he v.18–21. had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight', i. e. who was I viderat once blind, and now saw. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: let him speak for himself. It is true, he is our son, but though we might justly be compelled to speak for an infant, seeing it could not speak for itself, he has had his speech of old, now he has his sight: blind, we have known him from his birth; speaking, we know him of old; seeing, we see him now: ask him, that ye may be instructed: why do ye take us to task? These words spake his parents, because they feared v. 22. the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Now was it no evil to be put out of the synagogue: the Jews expelled, Christ received. Therefore v. 23. said his parents, He is of age, ask him.

11. Then again called they the man that was blind, and v.24–27. said unto him, Give God the glory. What meaneth, Give

596

Well for us, that God does hear sinners!

HOMIL. God the glory? Deny what thou hast received. Clearly, this XIV. is not to give glory to God, but rather to blaspheme. Give

glory, say they, to God: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? And he, now rising in anger at the hardness of the Jews, and, himself once blind, now seeing, intolerant of their blindness, answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be His disciples?

v. 28,29. 12. They cursed him, and said, Be thou His disciple! Such a curse be upon us and upon our children! For it is a curse, if thou scan the heart of the speakers, not if thou weigh well the words themselves. But we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. Oh, that ye did know that God spake unto Moses! then would ye know that through Moses was God preached. For ye have the Lord John 5, saying, If ye believed Moses, ye would believe Me also, for of Me he wrote. Is it thus ye follow the servant, and set your back against the Lord? Nay, ye do not even follow the servant for through him ye would be led to the Lord.

46.

v.30,31.

136,2.c.

2, 17.

13. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth. Still he Serm. speaks as one only anointed. For God does hear sinners 135, 6. also. Were it so, that God heareth not sinners, in vain Parmen. would that publican, casting his eyes down to the ground Luke18, and smiting his breast, say, God be merciful to me a sinner! Even this confession obtained justification, just as this blind v. 32,33. man obtained enlightening. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing. Frankly, firmly, truly spoken! For these things which were done by the Lord, by whom should they be done but by God? Or how should such things be done by the disciples, unless the Lord dwelt in them?

13.

Christ, the Day to divide between light and darkness. 597

IX.

14. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether JOHN born in sins. What meaneth, altogether? With closed eyes. 34-39. But He Who opened the eyes, saveth the whole man altogether the Same will give resurrection at His right hand, Who gave enlightenment to the face. Thou wast altogether v. 34. born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Of their own accord they made him their master, of their own accord, that they should learn, they questioned him so oft, and yet ungratefully cast him forth for teaching them!

15. But, as I have already said, my brethren, they cast out, the Lord receiveth: for the man all the more for being expelled became a Christian. Jesus heard that they had v.35-38. cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? Now He is washing the face of the heart. He answered and said, as one at present anointed, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and He that talketh with thee is He. He is that Sent, even He here that washeth the face in Siloe, which is by interpretation, Sent. In fine, having now the face of the heart washed and the conscience cleansed, acknowledging Him to be not only Son of Man, which thing he before believed, but now Son of God Who had taken flesh, he said, I believe, Lord. It is a small matter to say, I believe; wouldest thou see what manner of Person he believeth? Falling down, he worshipped Him.

16. And Jesus said to him. Here now is that Day, v. 39. dividing between the light and the darkness! For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. What meaneth this, O Lord? A mighty question hast Thou put upon us, and we are even now weary: but raise Thou up our strength, that we may be able to understand what Thou hast said. Thou art come, that they which see not, may see: rightly, for Thou art Light; rightly, for Thou art Day; rightly, for Thou deliverest from darkness: this, every soul receiveth, every soul understandeth. What is this that follows, And they which see, may be made blind? Then, because Thou art come, shall they which saw be

598

Light for the humble, night for the proud.

HOMIL. made blind? Hear what follows, and belike thou shalt understand.

XLIV.

v. 40,41.

17. Startled, then, by these words, some of the Pharisees said, Are we blind also? Hear now what that meaneth which startled them, And they which see may be made blind. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should not have sin. Whereas the blindness itself is sin. If ye were blind: that is, if ye perceived that ye were blind, if ye owned yourselves to be blind, and ran to the Physician: if then ye were thus blind, ye should not have sin: because I am come to take away sin. But now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth. Wherefore? Because by saying, We see, ye seek not the Physician, ye remain in your blindness. This then is that which just now we did not understand; that He saith, I am come, that they which see not, may see: what meaneth this, that they which see not, may see? Those who confess that they do not see, and seek the Physician that they may see. And they which see, may be made blind: what meaneth this, they which see, may be made blind? They who think they see, and seek not the Physician, may remain in their blindness. This work of discrimination, therefore, He hath here called judgment, when He saith, For judgment I am come into this world; by which judgment He discerneth the cause of them which believe and confess Him, from the proud, who think they see, and are therefore worse blinded; as if it should be said unto Him by a sinner who Ps.43,1. confesseth himself and seeketh the Physician, Judge me, O God, and discern my cause from an unholy nation; to wit, of them which say, We see, and their sin remaineth. The judgment, however, which He hath brought into the world, is not now that wherewith He shall judge the quick and dead in the end of the world. For in this regard, He John 8, had said, I judge no man; seeing He first came, not to Id.3,17.judge the world, but that the world may be saved through Him.

15.

HOMILY XLV.

JOHN X. 1-10.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber: but he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that have come1 are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear 'vid.§.8, them. I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall' be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

note.

1. It was from the enlightening of the man who was born blind, that the Lord's discourse to the Jews took its rise. Therefore, my beloved, ye ought to know and be put in mind of the connexion between that lesson and the lesson of to-day. Namely, when the Lord had said, For judgment John 9, I am come into this world, that they which see not might 39. see; and that they which see might be made blind: which,