Homilies on the Gospel of John

“Jesus answered them, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life.”

1. The mild and gentle is not always useful, but there are times when the teacher needs sharper language. For if the disciple be dull and gross, then, in order to touch his dullness to the quick, we must rouse him with a goad. And this the Son of God has done in the present as well as in many other cases. For when the crowds had come and found Jesus, and were flattering Him, and saying, “Master, when camest Thou hither?” to show that He desires not honor from men, but looks to one thing only, their salvation, He answers them sharply, wishing to correct them not in this way only, but also by revealing and exposing their thoughts. For what says He? “Verily, verily, I say unto you,” (speaking positively and with a confirmation,) “You seek Me, not because ye saw miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled.” He chides and reproves them by these words, yet does not so abruptly or violently, but very sparingly. For He says not, “O you gluttons and belly-slaves, I have wrought so many wonders, and you never have either followed Me, or marveled at My doings”; but mildly and gently somewhat in this manner; “You seek Me, not because ye saw miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled”; speaking not only of the past, but also of the present miracle. “It was not,” He says, “the miracle of the loaves that astonished you, but the being filled.” And that He said not this of them by conjecture they straightway showed, for on this account they came the second time, as being about to enjoy the same (food) as before. Wherefore they said, “Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness.” Again they draw Him to (the subject of) carnal food, which was the chief accusation and charge against them. But He stops not at rebukes, but adds instruction also, saying, “Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life.”

“Which the Son of Man gives unto you; for Him has God the Father sealed.”

What He says, is of this kind: “Make no account of this earthly, but of that spiritual food.” But since some of those who desire to live in doing nothing have abused this speech, as though Christ would entirely abolish working, it is seasonable to say somewhat to them. For they slander, so to speak, all Christianity, and cause it to be ridiculed on the score of idleness. First however, we must mention that saying of Paul. What says he? “Remember the Lord, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Now how can it be possible for him to give who has not? How then says Jesus to Martha, “You are careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part”?; and again, “Take no thought for the morrow.” For it is necessary now to resolve all these questions, not only that we may check men if they would be idle, but also that the oracles of God may not appear to bring in what is contradictory.

Now Paul in another place says, “But we beseech you, brethren, that you increase more and more, that you study to be quiet, and to do your own business; that you may walk honestly toward them that are without”; and again; “Let him that stole, steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his own hands, that he may have to give to him that needs.” Here the Apostle bids not simply “work,” but to work so vigorously and laboriously, as to have thereby somewhat to give to others. And in another place the same says again; “These hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me.” And writing to the Corinthians he said, “What is my reward then? Verily, that when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge.” And when he was in that city, he abode with Aquila and Priscilla, “and wrought, for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”

These passages show a yet more decided opposition as to the letter; we must therefore now bring forward the solution. What then must be our reply? That to “take no thought,” does not mean “not to work,” but “not to be nailed to the things of this life”; that is, to take no care for tomorrow's ease, but to deem that superfluous. For a man may do no work, and (yet) lay up treasure for the morrow; and a man may work, yet be careful for nothing; for carefulness and work are not the same thing; it is not as trusting to his work that a man works, but, “that he may impart to him that needs.” And that too which was said to Martha refers not to works and working, but to this, that it is our duty to know the right season, and not to spend on carnal things the time proper for listening. Thus Christ spoke not the words as urging her to “idleness,” but to rivet her to listening. “I came,” says He, “to teach you needful things, but you are anxious about a meal. Do you desire to receive Me, and to provide for Me a costly table? Provide another sort of entertainment, by giving me a ready hearing, and by imitating your sister's longing for instruction.” He said not this to forbid her hospitality, (away with the thought! How could that be?) but to show that she ought not in the season for listening be busy about other matters. For to say, “Labor not for the meat that perishes,” is not the expression of one implying that we ought to be idle; (in fact, this most especially is “meat that perishes,” for idleness is wont to teach all wickedness;) but that we ought to work, and to impart. This is meat that never perishes; but if any be idle and gluttonous, and cares for luxury, that man works for “the meat that perishes.” So too, if a man by his labor should feed Christ, and give Him drink, and clothe Him, who so senseless and mad as to say that such an one labors for the meat that perishes, when there is for this the promise of the kingdom that is to come, and of those good things? This meat endures forever. But at that time, since the multitudes made no account of filth, nor sought to learn who it was that did these things, and by what power, but desired one thing only, to fill their bellies without working; Christ with good reason called such food, “meat that perishes.” “I fed,” He says, “your bodies, that after this ye might seek that other food which endures, which nourishes the soul; but you again run after that which is earthy. Therefore ye do not understand that I lead you not to this imperfect food, but to that which gives not temporal but eternal life, which nourishes not the body but the soul.” Then when He had uttered such great words concerning Himself, and had said that He would give this food, in order that what was spoken might not stand in their way, to make His saying credible He attributes the supply to the Father. For after saying, “Which the Son of Man shall give you”; He adds, “Him has God the Father sealed,” that is, “has sent Him for this purpose, that He might bring the food to you.” The saying also admits of another interpretation; for in another place Christ says, “He that hears My words, has set to his seal that God is true”, that is, has “showed forth undeniably.” Which indeed the expression seems to me to hint at even in this place, for “the Father has sealed,” is nothing else than “has declared,” “has revealed by His testimony.” He in fact declared Himself too, but since He was speaking to Jews, He brought forward the testimony of the Father.