Homilies on the Gospel of John

“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears My Voice.”

1. A marvelous thing is longsuffering; it places the soul as in a quiet harbor, fleeing it from tossings and evil spirits. And this everywhere Christ has taught us, but especially now, when He is judged, and dragged, and led about. For when He was brought to Annas, He answered with great gentleness, and, to the servant who smote Him, said what had power to bring down all his insolence; thence having gone to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, and having spent the whole night in these scenes, He all through exhibits His own mildness; and when they said that He was a malefactor, and were not able to prove it, He stood silent; but when He was questioned concerning the Kingdom, then He spoke to Pilate, instructing him, and leading him in to higher matters. But why was it that Pilate made the enquiry not in their presence, but apart, having gone into the judgment hall? He suspected something great respecting Him, and wished, without being troubled by the Jews, to learn all accurately. Then when he said, “What have you done?” on this point Jesus made no answer; but concerning that of which Pilate most desired to hear, namely, His Kingdom, He answered, saying, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” That is, “I am indeed a King, yet not such an one as you suspect, but far more glorious,” declaring by these words and those which follow, that no evil had been done by Him. For one who says, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth,” shows, that no evil has been done by Him. Then when He says, “Every one that is of the truth hears My voice,” He draws him on by these means, and persuades him to become a listener to the words. “For if,” says He, “any one is true, and desires these things, he will certainly hear Me.” And, in fact, He so took him by these short words, that he said,