Homilies on the Gospel of John

“And I will raise him up in the last day.”

Not slight here is the authority of the Son, if so be that the Father leads, He raises up. He distinguishes not His working from that of the Father, (how could that be?) but shows equality of power. As, therefore, after saying in that other place, “The Father which has sent Me bears witness of Me,” He then, that they might not be over-curious about the utterance, referred them to the Scriptures; so here, that they may not entertain similar suspicions, He referrs them to the Prophets, whom He continually and everywhere quotes, to show that He is not opposed to the Father.

“But what of those,” says some one, “who were before His time? Were not they taught of God? Why then the special application of the words here?” Because of old they learned the things of God by the hands of men, but now by the Only-begotten Son of God, and by the Holy Ghost. Then He adds, “Not that any man has seen the Father, save He which is of God,” using this expression here not with reference to the cause, but to the manner of being. Since had He spoken in the former sense, we are all “of God.” And where then would be the special and distinct nature of the Son? “But wherefore,” says some one, “did He not put this more clearly?” Because of their weakness. For if when He said, “I have come down from heaven,” they were so offended, what would they have felt had He added this?