Homilies on the Gospel of John — Homily 71

St. John Chrysostom

1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3

A grievous thing, beloved, a grievous thing it is to come to the depths of wickedness; for then the soul becomes hard to be restored. Wherefore we should use every exertion not to be taken at all; since it is easier not to fall in, than having fallen to recover one's self. Observe, for instance, when Judas had thrown himself into sin, how great assistance he enjoyed, yet not even so was he raised. Christ said to him, One of you is a devil [[John 6.71]]; He said, Not all believe [[John 6.65]]; He said, I speak not of all, and, I know whom I have chosen [[John 13.18]]; and not one of these sayings does he feel. Now when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and sat down, He said, Know ye what I have done unto you? He no longer addresses Himself to Peter only, but to them all.

You call Me. He takes to Him their judgment, and then that the words may not be thought to be words of their kindness, He adds, for so I am. By introducing a saying of theirs, He makes it not offensive, and by confirming it Himself when introduced from them, unsuspected. For so I am, He says. Do you see how when He converses with the disciples, He speaks revealing more what belongs unto Himself? As He says, Call no man master on earth, for One is your guide [[Matthew 23.8]]-9, so also, And call no man father upon earth. But the one and one is spoken not of the Father only, but of Himself also. For had He spoken excluding Himself, how says He, That ye may become the children of the light? And again, if He called the Father only, Master, how says He, For so I am; and again, For one is your Guide, even Christ? [[John 12.26]]

And yet it is not the same thing, for He is Lord and Master, but you are fellow-servants one of another. What means then the as? With the same zeal. For on this account He takes instances from greater actions that we may, if so be, perform the less. Thus schoolmasters write the letters for children very beautifully, that they may come to imitate them though but in an inferior manner. Where now are they who spit on their fellow-servants? Where now they who demand honors? Christ washed the feet of the traitor, the sacrilegious, the thief, and that close to the time of the betrayal, and incurable as he was, made him a partaker of His table; and are you highminded, and do you draw up your eyebrows? Let us then wash one another's feet, says some one, then we must wash those of our domestics. And what great thing if we do wash even those of our domestics? In our case slave and free is a difference of words; but there an actual reality. For by nature He was Lord and we servants, yet even this He refused not at this time to do. But now it is matter for contentment if we do not treat free men as bondmen, as slaves bought with money. And what shall we say in that day, if after receiving proofs of such forbearance, we ourselves do not imitate them at all, but take the contrary part, being in diametrical opposition, lifted up, and not discharging the debt?