ACC ~ John 7 v10

HOW HIS CONCEALMENT WAS PREFIGURED IN EGYPT

AUGUSTINE: Let us examine, then, what thing to come was foreshadowed in this feast day. I have explained what this Feast of Tabernacles was. It was a celebration of tabernacles because the people, after their deliverance from Egypt wandered through the wilderness on their way to the promised land dwelling in tents. As we begin to observe what this feast is, we will see how it applies to us if we are members of Christ —but we are, he having made us worthy, not we having earned it for ourselves. Let us then consider ourselves, brothers: We have been led out of Egypt, where we were slaves to the devil as to Pharaoh, where we applied ourselves to works of clay, engaged in earthly desires and worked exceedingly hard. And, while laboring, as it were, at the bricks, Christ cried aloud to us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.” [1] From there we were led out by baptism as through the Red Sea—red because it is consecrated by the blood of Christ. All our enemies that pursued us were dead, that is, all our sins were blotted out, and we have been brought over to the other side.

At the present time, then, before we come to the land of promise, namely, the eternal kingdom, we are in the wilderness in tabernacles. Those who acknowledge these things are in tabernacles; for it was destined that some would acknowledge this. That person who understands that he is a stranger in this world is, as it were, in a tabernacle. That person understands that he is traveling in a foreign country when he sees himself sighing for his native land. But while the body of Christ is in tabernacles, Christ is in tabernacles. But at that time he was so secretly and not out in the open. For as yet the shadow obscured the light. When the light came, the shadow was removed. Christ was in secret: he was there in the feast of tabernacles, but hidden. At the present time, when these things are already made known, we acknowledge that we are journeying in the wilderness. If we recognize it, then we are in the wilderness.

What is it to be in the wilderness? It is to be in the desert wasteland. Why in the desert wasteland? Because it means we are in this world, where we thirst in a way in which there is no water [to satisfy]. Yet, let us thirst that we may be filled. For “blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” [2] And our thirst is quenched from the rock in the wilderness. For “the Rock was Christ,” and it was struck with a rod so that the water might flow. But that it might flow, the rock was struck twice, suggesting the two beams of the cross. [3] All these things, then, that were once done in a figure are now made known to us. And it is not without meaning that it was said of the Lord, “He went up to the feast day, but not openly, but as it were in secret.” For himself being in secret was what was prefigured because Christ was hid in that same festal day. For that very festal day signified Christ’s members that were to sojourn in a foreign land. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 28.9. [4]

[1] See Mt 11:28.

[2] Mt 5:6.

[3] See 1 Cor 10:4; Num 20:11.

[4] NPNF 1 7:181-82*.

THE CONSTRAINED ECONOMY OF REVELATION

CHRYSOSTOM: He goes up, not to suffer, but to teach. But why does he go up secretly? If he had gone up openly, he would not only have been among them, but also would have kept the violence and impetuosity [of the Jews] in check, as he had often done before. But he couldn’t keep doing this all the time, because if he had gone up openly and again blinded them, he would have disclosed his divinity to a greater degree which, for the moment, he did not want to do. And so he concealed it…. The things that Christ did in a human way were done, in other words, not only to establish the fact of his incarnation, but also to educate us on how to be virtuous. For if he had done everything as God, how would we know what to do when things happened to us that we didn’t want to have happen? HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 48.2, 49.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:174, 176**.

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