The Economy of Love and Obedience

They are listening; for the divine things are perceived by a greater voice and in a natural way according to the indwelling of God, being the word of the Father's such-as-it-is will, the Son being in agreement and a companion, accomplishes the economy. For it is most beautiful also what he does, so that we may see that the passion was his activity, through which he rather removes those who lay hands upon him, since even while being triumphed over he triumphed, and while being crucified he was crucified, and he led those working this into shame. So, because of the love, he says, which is toward the Father, I endure death (John 14:30-31). The ruler of evil prevails through the evil in man, taking as his own the one found under evil. Therefore, he says, it shall not happen to me as it does to certain men lying under sin, but as one voluntarily handing himself over and showing to the world the love which I have toward the Father, because, the Father willing to save the world, I work this.

The matter seems to be a departure, but it is a voluntary issuing forth, because he pursues such a place, in which he shall be known by the betrayer and shall be betrayed (John 14:31). Whoever therefore separates himself from the Lord toward fleshly matters, has driven himself away from the vine and becomes dry, no longer receiving the life-giving cluster (John 15:6). And such a one shall be kept for the eternal judgment just as the dry branches are for the fire (John 15:6).

Remaining in me, he says, you shall not only have the things of virtue bearing fruit from yourselves, but also the greater things of virtue, I mean indeed the powers from God, which you shall receive through asking (John 15:7); for whatever you shall wish to ask, and it shall happen to you, is the power surpassing the extraordinary (John 15:7).

Just as I, he says, fittingly loved by him according to divinity and not having risen from men, so also you, fittingly toward me in the flesh, were loved by me (John 15:9-10). Therefore, the love which you have received, guard it. And guard it, if you keep the things commanded by me, preserving in this the imitation and the likeness toward me; for I also, thinking and doing in agreement with the Father, precisely guarded the love toward the Father (John 15:10).

And you, likewise, fulfilling the commands of mine through work, will demonstrate the love toward the Master; for neither is the love shown by you toward the Lord in the same way as the Lord toward the Father, nor is the keeping of the commandments given in equal measure by servants toward a Master and by a son toward a father. For it was by nature for the Lord to fulfill all things that are pleasing to the Father, without any toil, nor any care, nor any discipline regarding this, but for us, the achievement is through toil. And one keeps the decrees of the Father without hope of a reward, but we endure toil for the sake of reward and we practice the keeping of the commandments. Thus, there is one way of the love of the Lord toward the Father, and another way for us toward Him.

In John 15:15, he does not speak of such a hearing as that of men, just as he does not speak of such a love nor of a similar keeping of commandments; for a word brought from the Father to the ears is not intended to inform of the decrees of the Father, but he has spoken of a hearing that is not received by him at a certain time, but is always present. For wisdom does not lead from ignorance into knowledge, nor is knowledge something other than wisdom, so that he might show it as not knowing itself; rather, through common and human words, the divine excellence must be sealed for us to perceive familiarly as God, and not according to human lowliness, since even the Word concerning God has taken on the form of a human shape and our names of passions, interpreting the incorporeal, formless, and impassible God.

From Him, the familiarity toward Him is given to men, and the good is not grasped by men, as the Apostle, teaching, says: 'I press on, if I may lay hold of it, because I was also laid hold of by Christ' (Phil 3:12). For we were not chosen because we were pleasing, but so that we might be pleasing. Therefore, he says, having chosen them, he set them for fruit-bearing, so that, even if we were not previously made precious to God, we might become so through the latter things.

What is this incorruptible fruit of the apostles that remains forever? It is the Church. And it is not possible for God to hear the one who does not hear, nor for one to receive blessing who does not bear fruit.