Homilies on the Gospel of John

“And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus. The same came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher come from God: for no man can do the miracles that You do, unless God is with him.'”

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.”

2. 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?