THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Many times, both above and below, the Evangelist returns to John and presents his testimony in many places. He does this not in vain, but with great wisdom.
All the Jews held this man in great esteem. Josephus even attributes the war to his death and argues that because of him the city which had once been the capital ceased to be a city.
In general, Josephus says much in his praise. Therefore the Evangelist, wishing to put the Jews to shame by John’s name, often recalls to them the testimony of the Forerunner.
The other Evangelists mention the ancient prophets, and at each event in Christ’s life they direct the hearer to them.
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Thus, when He is born, the Evangelist says, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet,” Isaiah, who says, “Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son” (Mt 1:22-23; Is 7:14).
When He is subjected to wicked plots and is sought everywhere with such diligence that even the immature age is slain by Herod, they cite Jeremiah.
He says, “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and lamentation and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children” (Mt 2:18; Jer 31:15).
When He returns again from Egypt, they recall Hosea, who also says, “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Mt 2:15; Hos 11:1). So the other Evangelists do in every case.
But this Evangelist, who preaches with a voice more lofty than the others, presents testimonies clearer and closer at hand. He brings forward not only those who had departed and died, but also a contemporary witness.
This witness had already pointed to the Lord when He came, and had baptized Him. He brings him forward not to make the Master’s words more trustworthy by the servant’s testimony, but in condescension to the weakness of the hearers.
Just as the Lord would not easily have been received if He had not taken the form of a servant, so many of the Jews would not have received His word unless He first prepared the hearing of fellow-servants by a servant’s voice.
At the same time, something else worthy of wonder was being arranged here. Whoever says something great about himself makes his own testimony suspect and often turns many hearers against him.
For this reason another comes to bear witness concerning Him. Again, most people usually flock to a voice more familiar and akin to them, since they know it better than any other.
Therefore the voice from heaven came only once or twice, but the voice of John came often and repeatedly. Those who stood above the weaknesses of the people, having detached themselves from everything sensory, could hear the voice from above.
They had no great need of a human voice, for they obeyed the heavenly voice in all things and were led by it. But those who still moved below and were covered by many veils needed a lower voice.
John himself, already wholly detached from everything sensory, did not need instruction from men, but received teaching from heaven.
“He who sent me to baptize with water,” he says, “said to me, Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (Jn 1:33).
Meanwhile the Jews, still children and unable to rise to such a height, had a man as teacher. Yet he did not speak to them his own things, but proclaimed revelations from above.
What, then, does the Evangelist say? “John bears witness of Him and, crying out, says.” What does “crying out” mean? It means that he preaches boldly, freely, without any fear.
And what does he preach? About what does he bear witness and cry out? “This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me has come before me, for He was before me.”
The testimony is somewhat veiled and not yet very lofty. He does not say, “This is the only-begotten Son of God.” What then does he say?
“This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me has come before me, for He was before me.”
Birds do not teach their young to fly all at once, nor completely in a single day. First they bring them only out of the nest, then give them rest, and then continue their flight farther.
The next day they add still more, and so imperceptibly, little by little, they raise them to the proper height. In like manner blessed John does not immediately lead the Jews up to things above.
Little by little he teaches them to soar up from the earth, saying that Christ was above him, the Forerunner. Even this was no small matter.
The hearers had to believe that a man not yet manifested to them, and not yet having done miracles, surpassed John, a man so wondrous and renowned, to whom all flocked and whom they honored as an angel.
John was striving to establish this in the minds of his hearers: the One witnessed to is greater than the witness; the One who came after is greater than the one who came before.
The One not yet seen is greater than the one already known and famous.
And see how wisely he pronounces the testimony. He not only points out the One who has appeared, but preaches of Him even before His manifestation.
This is precisely the meaning of his words, “This was He of whom I said,” as Matthew also relates. To all who came to him, John said, “I baptize you with water for repentance.
But He who comes after me is mightier than I; I am not worthy to carry His sandals” (Mt 3:11).
But why did he do this before the Lord’s manifestation? So that the testimony of the One who appeared might be more easily received, since the minds of the hearers had already been prepared by John’s words.
Also, so that His humble appearance would not harm this testimony. If the Jews had seen Christ Himself without first hearing anything about Christ, and without receiving this wondrous and great testimony in John’s words, they would have objected at once.
They would have set the lowly appearance of Christ against the greatness of John’s words. For He had clothed Himself in an appearance so humble and ordinary for all that Samaritan women, harlots, and tax collectors approached Him with great freedom.
They even dared to enter into conversation with Him. Therefore, as I have said, if the Jews had both heard the discourse and seen Christ Himself at the same time, perhaps they would have mocked John’s testimony.
But since they had already heard much about Christ before His manifestation, and their attention had been awakened by what was said about Him, the opposite happened to them.
They did not reject the teaching by judging from the appearance of Him concerning whom John testified. Rather, already believing what had been said, they acknowledged Him as more glorious even than John.
The expression “He who comes after me” means “He who is to preach after me,” not “He who is to exist after me.” This is also indicated in Matthew by the words “He who comes after me” (Mt 3:11).
They refer not to His birth from Mary, but to His coming for preaching. If His birth were meant, it would not have said “coming,” but “has come,” since Christ had already been born when John said this.
And what does “has come before me” mean? That He is more glorious and more honorable than I.
Do not think that I am greater than He merely because I came before Him to preach. I am much less than He, and so much less that I am not worthy to be numbered among His servants.
Thus the words “has come before me” mean the same as what Matthew expresses otherwise when he says, “I am not worthy to carry His sandals.”
It is evident from the addition that the words “has come before me” were not spoken about His origin. If John wished to speak of origin, the addition “has come before me” would have been superfluous.
Who is so foolish and senseless as not to understand that one who existed before him is prior to him? If eternal being is meant in this saying, it means nothing other than the words “He who comes after me has come before me.”
But in that case it would have been said unwisely, and the cause would have been added in vain. If he had wished to show this, he should have said, “He who comes after me was before me, because He existed before me.”
Of one who came into being before another, it may rightly be said for this reason that he is prior to the other. But if someone is only prior to another, this is not yet a cause that he came into being before him.
What we are now saying has a firm basis. You all know, surely, that unclear thoughts always need proofs, while clear thoughts do not.
If the discourse concerned existence, it would not be unclear that one who came into being earlier must be first. But since John speaks of dignity, he rightly resolves the difficulty that presents itself.
Probably many wondered why and on what basis the One who came later was so far ahead, that is, appeared more honorable. To such a question he immediately presents the cause.
The cause is that Christ is prior to him in being. He says, “Christ did not leave me behind, though I came before Him, and come to the front by any progress. He is before me, though He comes after me.”
But you will say, if this was spoken of Christ’s manifestation to men and His subsequent glorification among them, how does John speak of what had not yet come to completion as already past?
He did not say, “He will be,” but “He was.” Yet it was customary among the ancient prophets to speak of future events as though they had already happened.
Thus Isaiah, speaking of His being put to death, did not say in the future tense that He would be led like a sheep to the slaughter. He said, “like a sheep, He was led to the slaughter” (Is 53:7).
At that time He had not yet been incarnate, but the prophet speaks of the future event as already fulfilled.
David also, foreshadowing the Cross, did not say, “they will pierce My hands and My feet,” but “they pierced My hands and My feet.” And, “they divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots” (Ps 21:17, 19).
Speaking also of the betrayer, who had not yet been born, he says, “He who ate My bread lifted his heel against Me” (Ps 40:10).
Likewise he speaks of what took place on the Cross: “They gave Me gall for My food, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Ps 68:22).
Do you wish us to continue farther, or is this enough? I think it is enough. True, we have not worked through this passage in its full breadth, but we have penetrated its depth.
There is no less labor in this. Besides, we fear that by detaining you beyond measure, we may weaken your zeal.
Let us therefore end the homily properly. And what is the proper way? With doxology fitting to God. But doxology befits God not only in words, but much more in deeds themselves.