ACC ~ John 1 v35 - 36

WHY WAS JOHN STILL AT THE RIVER?

CHRYSOSTOM: Why then didn’t John go over all of Judea preaching Christ, rather than standing by the river waiting for him to come so that he could point him out when he came? He did this because he wanted Christ himself to accomplish this…. Observe the much greater effect this had, for what started out as a little spark at once grew into a burning flame….

Besides, if John had gone about saying all these things, what was being done would have seemed to be done from some human motivation and would have caused his preaching to be viewed with suspicion. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 18.2-3. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:64**..

BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM

CHRYSOSTOM: “Again,” says the Evangelist, “John stood and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God.’” Christ says nothing; his messenger says it all. This is how it is with a bridegroom. He says nothing for awhile to the bride but remains there in silence while someone shows him to the bride and others give her into his hands. She merely appears, and he only takes her for himself when he has received her from another who gives her to him. And when he receives her given to him in this way he treats her in such a way that she no longer remembers those who betrothed her. So it was with Christ. He came to join to himself the church. He said nothing but merely came. It was his friend, John [the Baptist], who put into his hand the bride’s right hand when by his teaching he gave the souls of men and women into his hand. And after Christ received them, he treated them in such a way that they no longer left to see John, who had committed them to him.

And there is something further here as well. Just like in a marriage, the bride does not go to the bridegroom; rather, he hurries to her, even if he is a king’s son and is about to marry some poor and abject person or even a servant. This is what was happening here. Human nature did not go up but, contemptible and poor as it was, [Christ] came to our human nature. And when the marriage had taken place, he no longer endured waiting. Instead, once he had taken [the bride] to himself, he then took her to the house of his Father. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 18.1-2. [1]

[1] NF 1 14:63**; Kierkegaard’s parable of the king and the maiden in Philosophical Fragments reflects Chrysostom’s exegesis of this verse

CHRIST IS THE LAMB SACRIFICED ONCE FOR ALL

CHRYSOSTOM: Not by voice alone but with his eyes also [John] bore witness to and expressed his esteem and praise of Christ. At this point he addresses no word of exhortation to his followers either. Instead he only shows wonder and astonishment at the one who was present. John declares to everyone the gift that this one came to give. He also declares the manner of purification. For “the Lamb” declares both of these things. Notice also he did not say “who shall take” or “who has taken” but “who takes away the sins of the world,” because this is what he continually does. He took them not only then when he suffered, but from that time even to the present he takes them away. He is not repeatedly crucified (for he offered one sacrifice for sins) but by that one sacrifice continually purges them. As then the Word shows us his preeminence and the Son his superiority in comparison with others, so the lamb, the Christ, that prophet, the true light, the good shepherd and whatever other names are applied to him with the addition of the article, mark a great difference. For there were many “lambs” and “prophets” and “christs” and “sons.” But John separates [Christ] from all of these by a wide margin. He secured this not only by the article but by the addition of “only begotten,” since he had nothing in common with the creation. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 18.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:64**.