ACC ~ John 5 v13

JESUS WITHDRAWS, LEAVING A PERFECT WITNESS

CHRYSOSTOM: He did this first of all because the man who had been made whole was the best witness of the cure and could give his testimony with less suspicion in our Lord’s absence. His second reason for doing so was so that the fury of people might not be excited more than was necessary. For the mere sight of the object of envy is no small incentive to envy. For these reasons he departed and left them to examine the fact for themselves. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 37.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:130**.

A MODEST MIRACLE BY HUMAN STANDARDS

AUGUSTINE: If we judge this miracle on the basis of low and human standards, it is not at all a striking display of power, and it is only a moderate display of goodness. Of so many who lay sick, only one was healed; although, had he chosen to do so, our Lord could have restored them all by a single word. How should we account for this? We might suppose that his power and goodness were asserted more for imparting knowledge of eternal salvation to the soul than for working a temporal cure on the body…. That which received the temporal cure was certain to decay at some point when death arrived, whereas the soul that believed passed into eternal life. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 17.1. [1]

[1] HE WORD IN THE BEGINNING | JOHN 1:1