Tractates on the Gospel of John

^5. But what are the greater works? For perhaps this is easy to understand. “For as the Father,” says He, “raises up the dead, and quickens them, even so the Son quickens whom He will.” To raise the dead, then, are greater works than to heal the sick. But “as the Father raises the dead, and quickens them, so also the Son quickens whom He will.” Hence, the Father some, the Son others? But all things are by Him: therefore the Son the same persons as the Father does; since the Son does not other things and in a different manner, but “these” and in “like manner.” Thus clearly it must be understood, and thus held. But keep in memory that “the Son quickens whom He will.” Here, too, know not only the power of the Son, but also the will. Both the Son quickens whom He will, and also the Father quickens whom He will— the Son the same persons as the Father; and hence the power of the Father and of the Son is the same, and also the will is the same. What follows then? “For the Father judges not any man, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all men may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father:” this He subjoined, as rendering a reason of the foregoing sentence. A great question comes before us; give it your earnest attention. The Son quickens whom He will, the Father quickens whom He will; the Son raises the dead, just as the Father raises the dead. And further, “the Father judges not any man.” If the dead must be raised in the judgment, how can it be said that the Father raises the dead, if He judges not any man, since “He has given all judgment to the Son”? But in that judgment the dead are raised; some rise to life, others to punishment. If the Son does all this, but the Father not, inasmuch as “He judges not any man, but has given all judgment to the Son,” it will appear contrary to what has been said, viz., “As the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them, so also the Son quickens whom He will.” Consequently the Father and the Son raise together; if they raise together, they quicken together: hence they judge together. How, then, is that true, “For the Father judges not any man, but has given all judgment to the Son”? Meanwhile let the questions now proposed engage your minds; the Lord will cause that, when solved, they will delight you. For so it is, brethren: every question, unless it stirs the mind to reflection, will not give delight when explained. May the Lord Himself then follow with us, in case He may perhaps reveal Himself somewhat in those matters which He folds up. For He folds up His light with a cloud; and it is difficult to fly like an eagle above every obscure mist with which the whole earth is covered, and to behold the most serene light in the words of the Lord. In case, then, He may perhaps dissipate our darkness with the heat of His rays, and deign to reveal Himself somewhat in the sequel, let us, deferring these questions, look at what follows.

6. “Whoso honors not the Son, honors not the Father that sent Him.” This is a truth, and is plain. Since, then, “all judgment has He given to the Son,” as He said above, “that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father,” what if there be those who honor the Father and honor not the Son? It cannot be, says He: “Whoso honors not the Son, honors not the Father that sent Him.” One cannot therefore say, I honored the Father, because I knew not the Son. If you did not yet honor the Son, neither did you honor the Father. For what is honoring the Father, unless it be in that He has a Son? It is one thing when you are taught to honor God in that He is God; but another thing when you are taught to honor Him in that He is Father. When you are taught to honor Him in that He is God, it is as the Creator, as the Almighty, as the Spirit supreme, eternal, invisible, unchangeable, that you are led to think of Him; but when you are taught to honor Him in that He is Father, it is the same thing as to honor the Son; because Father cannot be said if there be not a Son, as neither can Son if there be not a Father. But lest, it may be, you honor the Father indeed as greater, but the Son as less—as you may say to me, “I do honor the Father, for I know that He has a Son; nor do I err in the name Father, for I do not understand Father without Son, and yet the Son also I honor as the less,”— the Son Himself sets you right, and recalls you, saying, “that all may honor the Son,” not in a lower degree, but “as they honor the Father.” Therefore, “whoso honors not the Son, honors not the Father that sent Him.” “I,” do you say, “wish to give greater honor to the Father, less to the Son.” Therein you take away honor from the Father, wherein you give less to the Son. For, being thus minded, it must really seem to you that the Father either would not or could not beget a Son equal to Himself: if He would not, He lacked the will; if He could not, He lacked the ability. Do you not therefore see that, being thus minded, wherein you would give greater honor to the Father, therein you are reproachful to the Father? Wherefore, so honor the Son as you honor the Father, if you would honor both the Father and the Son.

7. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whoso hears my word, and believes in Him that sent me, has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but is passed,” not is passing now, but is already passed, “from death into life.” And mark this, “Whoso hears my word, and”— He says not, believes me, but— “believes Him that sent me.” Let him hear the word of the Son, that he may believe the Father. Why hears Your word, and yet believes another? When we hear any one's word, is it not him that utters the word we believe? Is it not to him who speaks we lend our faith? What, then, did He mean, saying, “Whoso hears my word, and believes Him that sent me,” if it be not this, because “His word is in me”? And what is “hears my word,” but “hears me”? So, too, “believes Him that sent me,” because, believing Him, he believes His word; but again, believing His word, he believes me, because I am the Word of the Father. There is therefore peace in the Scriptures, and all things duly disposed, and in no way clashing. Cast away, then, contention from your heart; understand the harmony of the Scriptures. Do you think that the Truth should speak things contrary to itself?

8. “Whoso hears my word, and believes Him that sent me, has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but is passed from death unto life.” You remember what we laid down above, that “as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them, so also the Son quickens whom He will.” He is beginning already to reveal Himself; and behold, even now, the dead are rising. For “whoso hears my word, and believes Him that sent me, has eternal life, and will not come into judgment.” Prove that he has risen again. “But is passed,” says He “from death unto life.” He that is passed from death unto life, has surely without any doubt risen again. For he could not pass from death to life, unless he were first in death and not in life; but when he will have passed, he will be in life, and not in death. He was therefore dead, and is alive again; he was lost, but is found. Hence a resurrection does take place now, and men pass from a death to a life; from the death of infidelity to the life of faith; from the death of falsehood to the life of truth; from the death of iniquity to the life of righteousness. There is, therefore, that which is a resurrection of the dead.