Tractates on the Gospel of John

¹¹ “They said, therefore, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning Him.” Whence the murmuring? Of strife. What was the strife? “Some said, He is a good man; but others said, Nay; but he deceives the people.” We must understand this of all His servants: this is said now of them. For whoever becomes eminent in some spiritual grace, of him some will assuredly say, “He is a good man;” others, “Nay; but he deceives the people.” Whence is this?

“Because our life is hid with Christ in God.” On this account people may say during the winter, This tree is dead; for example, a fig tree, pear tree, or some kind of fruit tree, it is like a withered tree, and so long as it is winter it does not appear whether it is so or not. But the summer proves, the judgment proves. Our summer is the appearing of Christ: “God shall come manifest, our God, and He will not be silent;” “fire shall go before Him:” that fire “shall burn up His enemies:” that fire shall lay hold of the withered trees.

For then shall the dry trees be apparent, when it shall be said to them, “I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat;” but on the other side, namely, on the right, will be seen abundance of fruit, and magnificence of leaves; the green will be eternity. To those, then, as withered trees, it shall be said, “Go into everlasting fire. For behold,” it says, “the axe is laid to the root of the trees: every tree, therefore, that brings not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.” Let them then say of you, if you are growing in Christ, let men say of you, “He deceives the people.”

This is said of Christ Himself; it is said of the whole body of Christ. Think of the body of Christ still in the world, think of it still on the threshing-floor; see how it is blasphemed by the chaff. The chaff and the grain are, indeed, threshed together; but the chaff is consumed, the grain is purged. What was said of the Lord then, avails for consolation, whenever it will be said of any Christian.