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.