John 2:23
- Of the men of that time some clung to their error, others laid hold on the truth, while of these last, some having retained it for a little while again fell off from it. Alluding to these, Christ compared them to seeds not deeply sown, but having their roots upon the surface of the earth; and He said that they should quickly perish. And these the Evangelist has here pointed out to us, saying,
When He was in Jerusalem, at the Passover, in the feast, many believed on Him, when they saw the miracles which He did.
John 2:24
For they were the more perfect among His disciples, who came to Him not only because of His miracles, but through His teaching also. The grosser sort the miracles attracted, but the better reasoners His prophecies and doctrines; and so they who were taken by His teaching were more steadfast than those attracted by His miracles. And Christ also called them blessed, saying, Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. But that these here mentioned were not real disciples, the following passage shows, for it says, Jesus did not commit Himself unto them. Wherefore? Because He knew all things,
John 2:25
The meaning is of this kind. He who dwells in men’s hearts, and enters into their thoughts, took no heed of outward words; and knowing well that their warmth was but for a season, He placed not confidence in them as in perfect disciples, nor committed all His doctrines to them as though they had already become firm believers. Now, to know what is in the heart of men belongs to God alone, who has fashioned hearts one by one, for, says Solomon, You, even Thou only, know the hearts; He therefore needed not witnesses to learn the thoughts of His own creatures, and so He felt no confidence in them because of their mere, temporary belief. Men, who know neither the present nor the future, often tell and entrust all without any reserve to persons who approach them deceitfully and who shortly will fall off from them; but Christ did not so, for well He knew all their secret thoughts.
And many such now there are, who have indeed the name of faith, but are unstable, and easily led away; wherefore neither now does Christ commit Himself to them, but conceals from them many things; and just as we do not place confidence in mere acquaintances but in real friends, so also does Christ. Hear what He says to His disciples, Henceforth I call you not servants, you are My friends. Whence is this and why? Because all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. And therefore He gave no signs to the Jews who asked for them, because they asked tempting Him. Indeed the asking for signs is a practice of tempters both then and now; for even now there are some that seek them and say, Why do not miracles take place also at this present time? If you are faithful, as you ought to be, and lovest Christ as you ought to love Him, you have no need of signs, they are given to the unbelievers. How then, asks one, were they not given to the Jews? Given they certainly were; and if there were times when though they asked they did not receive them, it was because they asked them not that they might be delivered from their unbelief, but in order the more to confirm their wickedness.
John 3:1-2
This man appears also in the middle of the Gospel, making defense for Christ; for he says, Our law judges no man before it hear him; and the Jews in anger replied to him, Search and look, for out of Galilee arises no prophet. Again after the crucifixion he bestowed great care upon the burial of the Lord’s body: There came also, says the Evangelist, Nicodemus, which came to the Lord by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. And even now he was disposed towards Christ, but not as he ought, nor with proper sentiments respecting Him, for he was as yet entangled in Jewish infirmity. Wherefore he came by night, because he feared to do so by day. Yet not for this did the merciful God reject or rebuke him, or deprive him of His instruction, but even with much kindness conversed with him and disclosed to him very exalted doctrines, enigmatically indeed, but nevertheless He disclosed them. For far more deserving of pardon was he than those who acted thus through wickedness. They are entirely without excuse; but he, though he was liable to condemnation, yet was not so to an equal degree. How then does the Evangelist say nothing of the kind concerning him? He has said in another place, that of the rulers also many believed on Him, but because of the Jews they did not confess (Him), lest they should be put out of the synagogue; but here he has implied the whole by mentioning his coming by night. What then says Nicodemus?
Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher come from God: for no man can do the miracles that You do, except God be with him.
- Nicodemus yet lingers below, has yet human thoughts concerning Him, and speaks of Him as of a Prophet, imagining nothing great from His miracles. We know, he says, that You are a Teacher come from God. Why then do you come by night and secretly, to Him that speaks the things of God, to Him who comes from God? Why do you not converse with Him openly? But Jesus said nothing like this to him, nor did He rebuke him; for, says the Prophet, A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench; He shall not strive nor cry: and again He says Himself, I came not to condemn the world, but to save the world.
No man can do these miracles, except God be with him.
Still here Nicodemus speaks like the heretics, in saying, that He has a power working within Him, and has need of the aid of others to do as He did. What then says Christ? Observe His exceeding condescension. He refrained for a while from saying, I need not the help of others, but do all things with power, for I am the Very Son of God, and have the same power as My Father, because this would have been too hard for His hearer; for I say now what I am always saying, that what Christ desired was, not so much for a while to reveal His own Dignity, as to persuade men that He did nothing contrary to His Father. And therefore in many places he appears in words confined by limits, but in His actions He does not so. For when He works a miracle, He does all with power, saying, I will, be thou clean. Talitha, arise. Stretch forth your hand. Your sins be forgiven you. Peace, be still. Take up your bed, and go unto your house. Thou foul spirit, I say unto you, come out of him. Be it unto you even as you will. If any one say (anything) unto you, you shall say, The Lord has need of him. This day shall you be with Me in Paradise. You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment. Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And everywhere we observe that His authority is great; for in His actions no one could find fault with what was done. How was it possible? Had His words not come to pass, nor been accomplished as He commanded, any one might have said that they were the commands of a madman; but since they did come to pass, the reality of their accomplishment stopped men’s mouths even against their will. But with regard to His discourses, they might often in their insolence charge Him with madness. Wherefore now in the case of Nicodemus, He utters nothing openly, but by dark sayings leads him up from his low thoughts, teaching him, that He has sufficient power in Himself to show forth miracles; for that His Father begot Him Perfect and All-sufficient, and without any imperfection.
But let us see how He effects this. Nicodemus says, Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles that You do, except God be with him. He thought he had said something great when he had spoken thus of Christ. What then says Christ? To show that he had not yet set foot even on the threshold of right knowledge, nor stood in the porch, but was yet wandering somewhere without the palace, both he and whoever else should say the like, and that he had not so much as glanced towards true knowledge when he held such an opinion of the Only-Begotten, what says He?