ACC ~ John 5 v39

FINDING THE FATHER’S TESTIMONY

CHRYSOSTOM: They might say to him: How, if we have never heard God’s voice, has God borne witness to you? And so, Jesus says to them, “Search the Scriptures…” meaning that the Father had borne witness of him by the Scriptures. Indeed, he had borne witness at the Jordan and on the mountain [of transfiguration]…. But they did not hear the voice on the mountain and did not listen to it at the Jordan. This is why he sends them to the Scriptures, where they would also find the Father’s testimony. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 40.3. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:146**.

DO NOT ONLY READ BUT ALSO EXAMINE SCRIPTURE

CHRYSOSTOM: He tells them not to simply “read the Scriptures” but “search the Scriptures.”…These sayings were not on the surface or out in the open but were hidden very deep like some treasure. Anyone who searches for hidden things, unless they are careful and diligent, will never find the object of their search. This is why he says…, “For in them you think you have eternal life,” meaning that they did not reap much fruit from the Scriptures, thinking, as they did, that they should be saved by the mere reading of them, without faith…. And so, it was with good reason that he said “you think,” because they did not actually listen to what the Scripture had to say but merely prided themselves on the bare reading. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 41.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:147-48**.

THE SCRIPTURES CONTAIN ALL THE WISDOM OF LIFE

SAHDONA: For all the wisdom of life is hidden in the Scriptures. In them we are able to gain knowledge of God and of his creative activity, of his wonderful governance and providence; likewise of his goodness and, at the same time of his righteousness, and, in sum, of his great and mighty power. [1] Anyone who is deprived of a knowledge of the Scriptures cannot withstand the power of God. [2] … It is from the Scriptures that we learn how to travel on the road of virtue, for in them all the fine deeds of the just life are delineated. One cannot see anything without light, for it is light that enables us to see, as it is written, “By light we see light.” [3] Similarly, without the light of the Scriptures we are unable to see God, who is light, [4] or his justice, which is filled with light. [5] The effort involved in reading the Scriptures is thus greatly beneficial to us, all the more so since it causes us to become illumined in prayer. For anyone whose soul, after having labored in reading and having been purified by spiritual meditation, is fervent with love for God, will pray in a luminous manner when he turns to prayer and the divine office, and he will recite the psalms without distraction. This is because his mind has labored in meditation on divine providence and so is filled with joy. BOOK OF PERFECTION 49-51. [6]

[1] See Eph 1:19.

[2] He cites Mt 22:29 and our text.

[3] Ps 36:9 (35:10 LXX).

[4] See 1 Jn 1:5.

[5] See Ps 37:6 (36:6 LXX).

[6] CS 101:222-23*.