Sermon 66

SERMO 66

On the Words of the Gospel Mt 11, 2-11:
"When John had heard in prison the works of Christ" and so forth

The testimony of John about Christ.

A reading from the holy Gospel has proposed to us a question about John the Baptist. May the Lord help us to solve it for you, as He solved it for us. John was praised by the testimony of Christ, as you have heard; and praised in such a way that among those born of women, no greater has risen. But greater than he was born of the Virgin. How much greater? Let the herald himself say how much the difference is between himself and his judge, whose herald he is. For John preceded Christ both in birth and in preaching: but he preceded Him by serving, not by preferring himself. For the whole office walks before the judge; and those who walk first are themselves the last. How great then was the testimony that John bore to Christ? So much so that he declared himself not worthy to unloose the strap of His sandal. What more? He said, "Of His fullness we have all received." He confessed himself to be a lamp lit by Him, and therefore fled to His feet, lest in seeking high things he should be extinguished by the wind of pride. For he was so great that he was thought to be the Christ: and if he had not testified to himself that he was not the one, the error would have remained, and he would have been thought to be the one. How humble was he? Honor was conferred upon him by the people, and he refused it. Men were mistaken concerning his greatness, and he humbled himself. He did not wish to grow by the words of men, because he had comprehended the Word of God.

The testimony of Christ about John.

Therefore, John speaks thus about Christ: What does Christ say about John? Recently we heard: He began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Certainly not; because John was not swayed by every wind of doctrine. But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? No; because John was clothed in rough clothing: for he had a garment made of camel's hair, not of feathers. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, and more than a prophet. Why more than a prophet? They foretold the coming Lord, whom they longed to see, and did not see: but for this one it was granted what they sought. John saw the Lord, he saw; he pointed his finger at him and said: 'Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world': behold, it is he. He had now come, and was not recognized: and therefore, even in John himself there was error." "Behold, there is he whom the Patriarchs desired to see, whom the Prophets foretold, whom the Law prefigured. Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world." And he gave good testimony to the Lord, and the Lord to him: "Among those born of women," said the Lord, "there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he; lesser in time, greater in majesty." By this he meant to be understood as himself. Among men John is very great, with Christ alone among men being greater. It can also be distinguished and resolved thus: "Among those born of women there has risen none greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Not as I said a little before. He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater: he called it the kingdom of heaven, where the Angels are; therefore he who is lesser among the Angels is greater than John. He commended the kingdom which we should desire: he proposed the city whose citizens we should long to be. What kind of citizens are there? How great are the citizens! Whoever is least there is greater than John. Than which John? Than whom none greater has arisen among those born of women.

Difficulty: whether John doubted about Christ.

We have heard true and good testimony, both from John about Christ and from Christ about John. What, then, does it mean that John, when he was confined in prison and about to be killed, sent his disciples to Him and said to them: Go, tell Him: Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect another? Is that an entire commendation? Has the commendation turned into doubt? What do you say, John? To whom do you say? What do you say? You say to the judge, you say to the herald. You pointed the finger, you showed Him: you said: Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sin of the world. You said: We have all received from His fullness. You said: I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandal, and now you say: Are you the one to come, or should we wait for another? Is He Himself not? Who are you? Are you not His forerunner? Are you not the one about whom it was foretold: Behold, I send my Angel before your face, who will prepare your way? How do you prepare the way, and you err? Then John's disciples came: and the Lord said to them: Go, report to John: the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the poor have the gospel preached to them: and blessed is he who shall not be offended in Me. Do not think that John was offended in Christ. Yet the words seem to sound alike: Are you the one who comes? Ask the works: the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the dead rise, the poor have the gospel preached to them: and do you ask if I am? My works, He said, are My words. Go, report. And as they went away, lest anyone might say: John was good at first, and the Spirit of God deserted him; hence he said this after their departure; after the departure of those whom John had sent, Christ praised John.

The difficulty is resolved.

What then does the obscure question mean? Let the sun shine, from where that lamp was lit. Clearly, such a solution is evident. John separately had disciples: not separated, but a prepared witness. For it was necessary that he who himself gathered disciples and could envy Him if he could not see, should bear such witness to Christ. Therefore, since John’s disciples regarded him highly as their teacher; hearing John’s testimony about Christ, they were amazed: being about to die, he wanted them to be confirmed by Him. Without a doubt, they would say among themselves: This one says such things about Him, He does not say these things about Himself. Go, tell Him: not because I doubt, but so that you may be taught. Go, tell Him: what I usually say, hear from Him; you heard the herald, be confirmed by the judge. Go, tell Him: Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another? They went and said; for their sake, not for John’s. And because of them, Christ said: The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the lepers are cleansed, the dead rise, the poor have the gospel preached to them. You see me, recognize me: you see the deeds, recognize the doer. And blessed is he who is not scandalized by me. But I say this about you, not about John. For that we might know that He did not speak about John: As they went away, He began to speak to the crowds about John: True praises were said by the truthful One, the Truth.

Care of the poor.

I think this question has been answered sufficiently. Therefore, it is enough to have brought the discourse to its conclusion. Keep the poor in mind: do what you have not yet done: believe, you do not lose; rather, you only lose what you do not bring to the cart. Now what you offered must be given back to the poor, you who offered: and we have much less towards the total than you usually offer: shake off laziness. I have become a beggar of beggars: what is it to me? Let me be a beggar of beggars, so that you may be counted among the number of children.