Sermon 183

SERMO 183

Again concerning the words of the Epistle 1 John 4, 2:
"Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ"
"To have come in the flesh, is from God"

Question to be handled.

The expectation of your Charity is the demand of my obligation. I do not doubt that you remember what I promised concerning the reading of Saint John, with the aid of the Lord. Therefore, when you heard the reader, I believe you thought that I must be the one to repay the debt. Indeed, we have deferred discussing a great question as our speech extended in length, namely, how it can rightly be understood what the blessed John, not the Baptist, but the Evangelist, said in his Epistle: Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. For we see many heresies confessing that Christ has come in the flesh, and yet we cannot say that they are of God. The Manichaean denies that Christ has come in the flesh. There is no need to struggle, nor to persuade you longer that this error is not of God. But the Arian confesses that Christ has come in the flesh, as does the Eunomian, the Sabellian, the Photinian. What witnesses do we need to convict these? Who can count so many plagues? But in the meantime, let us address those that are more known. Many of those heresies I mentioned are unknown, and such ignorance is safer. Certainly, what we know is that the Donatist confesses Christ has come in the flesh: and yet it is far from us to think this error is of God. To speak of more recent heretics, the Pelagian confesses Christ has come in the flesh: yet this error is absolutely not of God.

Heretics agree in this, that they deny Christ has come in the flesh.

Therefore, beloved, let us diligently consider that we do not doubt the truth of the saying: Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ to have come in the flesh is from God; these must be convinced because they do not confess Christ to have come in the flesh. For if we granted them this confession, we would acknowledge them to be from God. How then can we either forbid you from their errors, deter you, or defend you against them with the shield of truth? May the Lord help us, since your expectation for us is also a prayer, that these may be convinced because they do not confess Christ to have come in the flesh.

Arianus, how he denies that Christ came in the flesh.

Arians hear, and proclaim the birth from the virgin Mary. Do they therefore confess that Christ has come in the flesh? No. How do we prove it? If the Lord aids your understanding, very easily. What is it that we require? Whether they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. How can they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, who deny that He is Christ? For who is Christ? Let us ask blessed Peter. Just now as the Gospel was being read, you heard, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself asked whom men said that the Son of Man was; the disciples responded with the opinions of others, and said: Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Those who confessed or confess these things did not know Jesus Christ as more than a man. Now, if they did not know Jesus Christ as more than a man, they surely did not know Jesus Christ. For if He is only a man, and nothing more, He is not Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Peter answered, one for all, because unity is in all: You are Christ, the Son of the living God.

The same argument is discussed.

Behold, you have a true confession, a full confession. For you must join together both what Christ says about Himself and what Peter says about Christ. What did Christ say about Himself? "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" What does Peter say about Christ? "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Join both, and Christ comes in the flesh. This is what Christ says about Himself, which is minor; this is what Peter says about Christ, which is greater. Humility answered about the truth, and truth about humility: this is humility about the truth of God and truth about the humility of man. "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" He said, "I say what I have become for you: you say, Peter, who it is that made you." Therefore, he who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, undoubtedly confesses that the Son of God has come in the flesh. Let the Arian now say whether he confesses that Christ has come in the flesh. If he confesses that the Son of God has come in the flesh, he confesses that Christ has come in the flesh. If he denies that the Son of God is Christ, he does not know Christ; he speaks of one thing instead of another, he does not speak of Him. For what is the Son of God? Just as we were seeking what Christ is, and we heard that He is the Son of God, let us now seek what the Son of God is. Behold the Son of God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; He was in the beginning with God." In the beginning was the Word. What do you say, Arian? "In the beginning," as Genesis says, "God created the heavens and the earth"; but you say: "In the beginning God made the Word." For you say the Word is made, you say the Word is a creature. Therefore you say: "In the beginning God made the Word"; but the Evangelist says: "In the beginning was the Word." And therefore, "In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth," because the Word was. All things were made through Him. You say it was made. If you say it was made, you deny the Son.

The same argument is discussed.

For we seek a Son by nature, not by grace; a Son who is the only one, the only-begotten, not adopted. We seek such a Son, such a true Son, who, being in the form of God—these are the words of the Apostle, I mention them for the unlearned, lest they think they are my words—who, being in the form of God, as the Apostle says, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Not robbery, because by nature. It was nature, it was not robbery. He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. It was not robbery to him, it was nature; thus he was from eternity, thus he was coeternal with the Begetter, thus he was equal to the Father, thus he was. He emptied himself: so that we may confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. He emptied himself. How? By losing what he was, or by assuming what he was not? Let the Apostle follow; let us listen: He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. Thus he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, not losing the form of God. The form of a servant was added, not the form of God departed. This is to confess that Christ came in the flesh. But the Arian who does not confess him as equal, does not confess him as the Son. If he does not confess him as the Son, he does not confess him as Christ. He who does not confess Christ, how does he confess that Christ came in the flesh?

Eunomian.

Thus also Eunomian, his peer, his associate, not much different. Indeed, the Arians are said to have confessed that the Son is at least similar to the Father; and if they did not say equal, yet similar. He, not even similar. And therefore he also denies Christ. For if Christ is truly equal and similar to the Father, indeed he who denies that he is equal denies Christ; he who denies that he is similar denies Christ. Therefore, he who denies that he is both equal and similar denies that Christ has come in the flesh. For I ask: Did Christ come in the flesh? He responds: He came. And we think that he confesses. I ask: Which Christ came in the flesh? Equal to the Father, or unequal? He responds: Unequal. Therefore you say that an unequal one came in the flesh: you deny that Christ came in the flesh, because Christ is equal to the Father.

Sabellian.

Hear the Sabellian. He himself is the Son who is also the Father. He says this, here he stings, here he spreads poison. He himself is, he says, the Father. When he wills, he is the Son: when he wills, he is the Father. He is not Christ himself. And you err if you say that this one has come in the flesh; because this one is not Christ, you deny that Christ has come in the flesh.

Photinus.

What do you say, Photine? Photinus says: Christ is only a man, not God. You confess the form of a servant, you deny the form of God. And Christ in the form of God is equal to the Father, in the form of a servant he is consort with us. And you deny that Christ has come in the flesh.

Donatist.

What is a Donatist? Many Donatists confess this about the Son what we do, that the Son is equal to the Father, and of the same substance: however some of them confess Him to be of the same substance, but deny Him to be equal. What is the need to argue about those who deny Him to be equal? For if they deny Him to be equal, they deny the Son. If they deny the Son, they deny Christ. If they deny Christ, how do they confess that Christ has come in the flesh?

The same argument is discussed.

It requires more subtle debate regarding those who confess the same as we do, that the only-begotten Son is equal to the Father, of the same substance, co-eternal with the eternal; and yet, they are Donatists. Let us say to them: You confess in words, but deny in deeds. For someone can deny in deeds. Not everyone who denies, denies in words. Indeed, there are people who deny in deeds. Let us question the Apostle: “All things,” he says, “are pure to the pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.” They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds. What does it mean to deny by deeds? To be proud, to create schisms; to glory not in God, but in man. Thus, Christ is denied by deeds: for Christ loves unity. Lastly, behold how they themselves deny Christ, to speak more openly. We call him Christ, of whom John the Baptist said: “He who has the bride is the bridegroom.” A good marriage, holy nuptials. The bridegroom is Christ, the bride is the Church. We know the bride from the bridegroom. Let the bridegroom himself tell us who his bride is; let him tell us, lest we err and disturb holy vows by our invitation to the wedding; let him tell us, let him show us himself first as the bridegroom.

The same topic is being discussed.

After the resurrection, he said to his disciples: "Did you not know that it was necessary for all that was written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms to be fulfilled?" Then, the Evangelist follows and says: "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and he said to them: 'Thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day.'" Behold, the bridegroom, whom Peter confessed, that is, the Son of the living God, had to suffer and rise on the third day. And it had happened: they saw it fulfilled, they held onto the head, they sought the body. What is the head? Christ himself: he suffered, rose on the third day: he is the head of the Church. What is the body? The Church itself. So the disciples saw the head, but did not see the body. Therefore, for those who did not see the body, let the head teach them. Speak, Lord Jesus; speak, holy bridegroom, instruct us about your body, your bride, your beloved, your dove, whom you endowed with your blood, say: "It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day." Behold the bridegroom: speak about the bride, complete the marriage documents. Listen to the bride: "And preaching is necessary," he says. That follows, indeed. "It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and for repentance and forgiveness of sins to be preached in his name to all nations." Where are you hiding? To all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. So it happened. We read the promise, we see it fulfilled. Behold my light; where is your darkness? Therefore, Christ is the bridegroom of this Church, which is preached to all nations, and sprouts and grows to the ends of the earth, starting from Jerusalem: Christ is the bridegroom of this [Church]. What do you say? Of whose bride is Christ? Of the party of Donatus? It is not he, it is not he. Good man, it is not he: rather, bad man, it is not he. We come to the wedding, let us read the documents, and not quarrel. Therefore, if you say: "Christ is the bridegroom of the party of Donatus;" I read the documents and find that Christ is the bridegroom of the Church spread throughout the whole world. If you say: "He is, and he is not," you deny that Christ has come in the flesh.

Pelagian.

Pelagian remains, not from all heresies, but from those which I briefly mentioned. For I already said: Who counts so many plagues? What do you say, Pelagian? Listen to what he says. He seems to confess that Christ came in the flesh, but upon examination, he is found to deny it. For Christ came in the flesh, which would be the likeness of sinful flesh, it was not sinful flesh. These are the words of the Apostle: God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Not in the likeness of flesh as if the flesh was not flesh; but in the likeness of sinful flesh, because it was flesh, but not sinful flesh. However, this Pelagius tries to equate the flesh of every infant to the flesh of Christ. It is not, dearest. The likeness of sinful flesh would not be highly commended in Christ unless all other flesh was sinful flesh. What then does it profit, because you say that Christ came in the flesh, and you try to equate Him with the flesh of all infants? And I say to you what I say to the Donatists: He is not. Behold, I see the Church, a mother giving testimony through her very breasts. Mothers rush up with their young children, they urge them to the Savior to be saved, not to Pelagius to be condemned. Any woman as a mother running with piety with her young child says: "Let him be baptized, so that he may be saved." Pelagius, on the other hand, says: "What is there to save? There is nothing in him that needs to be saved; he has no fault, he has drawn nothing from the transmission of damnation." If he is equal to Christ, why does he seek Christ? Behold, I say to you: The Son of God, the Bridegroom, who came in the flesh, is the savior of both the greater and the lesser, the savior of both the elders and the infants, and He is Christ; but you say that Christ is the savior of the elders, not the lesser: He is not. If He is not, you too deny that Christ came in the flesh.

It is common to heretics and bad Catholics to deny the incarnation of Christ.

And if we discuss all heresies, we find that they deny that Christ came in the flesh. All heretics deny that Christ came in the flesh. Why are you amazed if pagans deny that Christ came in the flesh? Why are you amazed if Jews deny that Christ came in the flesh? Why are you amazed if the Manichaeans most openly deny that Christ came in the flesh? But I say to your Charity, even all bad Catholics confess with their words that Christ came in the flesh; however, they deny it with their deeds. Therefore, do not be so secure concerning the faith. Join right living to right faith, so that you may confess Christ came in the flesh, both by speaking the truth with your words and by living well with your deeds. For if you confess with your words and deny with your deeds; the faith of such evil people is close to the faith of demons. Listen to me, dearest ones, listen to me, so that my sweat here does not testify against you; listen to me. The Apostle James, when he spoke about faith and works against those who thought that faith alone was sufficient and did not want to have good works, said: "You believe that there is one God; you do well: even the demons believe, and tremble." Will the demons be freed from eternal fire because they believe and tremble? Behold now what you have heard in the Gospel, what Peter said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"; read and you will find that the demons said: "We know who you are, the Son of God." Nevertheless, Peter is praised, and the demon is restrained. One voice, different actions. Whence are these two confessions separated? Love is praised, fear is condemned. For the demons did not say this out of love: "You are the Son of God." They said this out of fear, not love. Hence they said in confession: "What have we to do with you?" But Peter said: "I am with you unto death."

Both true faith and a good life are from God.

But also Peter himself, whence, my brothers, whence does he speak from love: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God? Whence does he? From his own? Far from it. Well, that very chapter of the Gospel demonstrates both what Peter has from God, and what he has from himself. You have both there: read, there is no need to wait to hear it from me. I bring up the Gospel: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the Lord to him: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. Why? Blessed from your own? No. Because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you; for this is what you are. Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And he continues and says other things which are long to recall. Shortly after, the Lord there, after these words of his, by which he approved the faith of Peter, and showed that he was that rock, began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and scribes and priests, and be killed, and on the third day rise again. There Peter out of his own fear was terrified, and dreaded the death of Christ; the sick man feared his remedy. God forbid it, Lord, he said: may it be far from you, let this not happen. And where is: I have the power to lay down my life, and I have the power to take it up again? Have you forgotten, Peter? Have you forgotten: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends? You have forgotten. That forgetfulness is from himself; the anxiety, the horror and fear of death, all from Peter: rather from Simon, not from Peter. And the Lord: Get behind me, Satan. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah: Get behind me, Satan. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah; but from God. Get behind me, Satan; whence? Recall whence blessed. I already said: because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Whence Satan? Let the Lord say: For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.

And by believing and by living well, we ought to confess that Christ has come in the flesh.

Hope in the Lord, and conjoin good deeds with true faith. Confess that Christ has come in the flesh, both by believing and by living well, and hold that both are received from Him, and hope that they will be increased and perfected by Him. For cursed is everyone who puts their hope in man. And it is good for a man that he who glories, glories in the Lord.

Turned towards the Lord God, the Almighty Father, with a pure heart, as much as our smallness can, let us give Him the greatest and truest thanks; praying with our whole soul for His singular gentleness, that He may deign to hear our prayers in His good pleasure; may He also expel the enemy from our actions and thoughts by His power; may He multiply our faith, govern our mind, grant us spiritual thoughts, and lead us to His blessedness; through Jesus Christ His Son. Amen.