On the Man Born Blind · §7 · Severianus of Gabala

From Human Supporter to Divine Witness

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Let him not be provoked. For he says, 'From the beginning of the age it has not been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind' (John 9:32), that is, 'Who else opened them, a prophet?' Nor did they see the superiority, nor the comparison. But as much as this man held to the truth, so much did they not cease from shamelessness.

Since they were not able to deny it, they endeavored instead to cover it, and they say: 'Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinful human.' The glory of the Son is the glory of the Father, and the glory is undivided. He is contending, having the good struggle toward the Jews. They say to him, 'Give glory to God.' How? By our law? And is it right to benefit another and for another to be glorified? 'Give glory to God.' Another benefactor, and to another should I give glory? They confessed that Jesus made clay and anointed his eyes; does the one who opened them confess, and should I give the glory to another? Why should I give glory to God? Because this work is the work of God. Therefore, seeing, you confess that Christ is God. 'Give glory to God.' For if the work is of God, and to Him the glory is owed, the maker of the work is God Himself. 'Give glory to God.' We know that this man is a sinful human.

The once-blind man answered them: 'If he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that being blind, now I see' (John 9:25). He spoke with such boldness that they ordered him to be cast out. And they cast him out, says the evangelist, out (John 9:34). Blessed is the one set apart from the synagogue of evildoers. And see what happens. Because he contended the good struggle, and sympathized with the glory of God, and confessed the Savior gloriously with much boldness; and while his theater was being filled with wrestling matches, the wrestler was cast out without receiving the crown, and the referee meets him outside.

For Jesus heard, he says, that they had cast him out; and finding him, he says to him. Oh, the speech of the one finding him! That which error destroys, truth finds. Why then did he meet him? The Savior saw a soul full of gratitude; he saw a soul not yet having been made known to speak concerning God, but considering him to be some faithful prophet; for he asks concerning the Christ. And what does he say about him? That he is a prophet. And the Savior said this: 'If you consider him a prophet, and anth...'

Suspecting a human, he struggles thus: what will he do if he learns the glory of the deity? If, suspecting a human and calling him a prophet, he has brought so much support for the sake of truth, and has undergone such a great struggle without having yet been instructed, but having been enlightened by grace alone: understand him, that if, thinking to support a human, he did not depart from the truth, he will speak evangelically: 'In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the God was the Word' (John 1:1); what will result? Therefore, moreover, the Lord corrected him toward knowledge, having received the struggle, and having sealed the faith for him.

The Savior answers him; for this one did not recognize the character. For when He sent him to the pool of Siloam to wash, He sent him blind; but when he returned seeing, he did not see the Savior because of the crowd being mixed there, but immediately, before seeing the Master, having been called into the struggle, he struggled. But the Master made clay before washing him himself, and anointed his eyes, so that he might complete what was lacking. When therefore He sent him out, Christ finding him, said to him: 'Do you believe in the Son of God?' (John 9:35). For it is not necessary for you to believe in a struggling man as a prophet, but as the Son of God.

That one, not having recognized the face, recognized the voice. 'Do you believe,' He says, 'in the Son of God?' He knew the voice, and with delight he cried out, 'And who is He, Lord, so that I may believe in Him?' Why do you believe Him saying to the believer: 'Do you believe in the Son of God?' 'I know that your word is true; yet even if you should tell me the knowledge, I do not waver in believing you.' 'And who is He, Lord, so that I may believe in Him?' And the prophet replied: 'And you have seen Him, and the one speaking with you, He is that one.'

He who supported from within, discourses from without: 'Do you believe in the Son of God?' But the one enlightened in both body and mind said: 'And who is He, Lord, so that I may believe in Him?' And the one answering said to him: 'And you have seen Him, and the one speaking with you, He is that one.' And he said: 'I believe, Lord,' and he worshiped Him. These things are said to me so that you all may learn to follow a good teacher, and to imitate a good shepherd, and to struggle for the sake of truth; for your one...

Greek

μὴ παροξύνῃ· λέγει δὲ, Ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἠκούσθη, ὅτι ἤνοιξέ τις ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλοῦ γεγεννημένου, τουτέστιν, Τίς ἤνοιξεν ἄλλος προφήτης; οὐδὲ τὴν ὑπεροχὴν ὁρῶντες, οὐδὲ σύγκρισιν. Ὅσον δὲ οὗτος τῆς ἀληθείας ἀντείχετο, τοσοῦτον ἐκεῖνοι τῆς ἀναισχυντίας οὐκ ἐπαύοντο. Ἐπειδὴ ἀρνήσασθαι οὐκ ἐδύναντο, ἐσπούδασαν λοιπὸν καλύψαι, καί φασι· ∆ὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ· οἴδαμεν ἡμεῖς, ὅτι ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. ∆όξα Υἱοῦ ἡ δόξα Πατρὸς, καὶ ἀμέριστος ἡ δόξα. Ἀγωνίζεται ἔχων τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα πρὸς Ἰουδαίους. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, ∆ὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ. Ποίῳ; Τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἡμετέρου; Καὶ δίκαιόν ἐστι ἄλλον εὐεργετῆσαι, καὶ ἄλλον δοξασθῆναι; ∆ὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἄλλος εὐεργέτης, καὶ ἄλλῳ δῶ δόξαν; Ὡμολόγησαν, ὅτι πηλὸν ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἔχρισεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς· ὁ ἀνοίξας ὁμολογεῖται, καὶ ἄλλῳ ἀνενέγκω τὴν δόξαν; ∆ιὰ τί δὲ δῶ δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ; Ὅτι τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν. Ἴδε οὖνἄκοντες ὁμολογεῖτε, ὅτι Θεὸς ὁ Χριστός. ∆ὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ὀφείλεται αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα· ὁ ποιητὴς τοῦ ἔργου αὐτός ἐστι Θεός. ∆ὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν, ὅτι ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ ποτὲ τυφλός· Εἰ ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν, οὐκ οἶδα· ἓν οἶδα, ὅτι τυφλὸς ὢν ἄρτι βλέπω. εʹ. Μέχρι τούτου ὡς ἐπαῤῥησιάσατο, ἐκέλευσαν αὐτὸν ἐκβληθῆναι ἔξω. Καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν, φησὶν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς, ἔξω. Μακάριος ὁ ἀφορισθεὶς συναγωγῆς πονηρευομένων. Καὶ ὅρα τί γίνεται. Ἐπειδὴ ἠγωνίσατο τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα, καὶ συνηγόρησε Θεοῦ δόξῃ, καὶ τὸν Σωτῆρα ὡμολόγησεν ἐνδόξως μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς παῤῥησίας· καὶ ἦν αὐτοῦ τὸ θέατρον πεπληρωμένον τῶν παλαισμάτων, ἐξεβλήθη ἔξω ὁ παλαιστὴς, μὴ λαβὼν τὸν στέφανον, καὶ ἀπαντᾷ αὐτῷ ἔξω ὁ βραβευτής. Ἤκουσε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω· καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν λέγει αὐτῷ. Ὢ τῆς ῥήσεως τοῦ εὑρόντος αὐτόν· ὃν ἀπόλλυσιν ἡ πλάνη, εὑρίσκει ἡ ἀλήθεια. ∆ιὰ τί δὲ αὐτῷ ἀπήντησεν; Εἶδεν ὁ Σωτὴρ ψυχὴν εὐγνωμοσύνης γέμουσαν· εἶδε ψυχὴν μηδέπω γνωσθεῖσαν ὑπὲρ Θεοῦ λέγειν, ἀλλὰ νομίζουσαν ὑπὲρ προφήτου τινὸς πιστοῦ· ἐρωτᾶται γὰρ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ τί λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ; Ὅτι προφήτης ἐστίν. Ὁ δὲ Σωτὴρ τοῦτο εἶπεν· Εἰ προφήτην νομίζων, καὶ ἄνθρωπον ὑπονοῶν, οὕτως ἀγωνίζεται, τί οὐ ποιήσει, ἐὰν μάθῃ τὴν δόξαν τῆς θεότητος; Εἰ ἄνθρωπον ὑπονοῶν, καὶ προφήτην ὀνομάζων τοσαύτην ἤνεγκεν ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας συνηγορίαν, καὶ ἀγῶνα τηλικοῦτον ἀνεδέξατο μηδέπω κατηχηθεὶς, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ μόνης τῆς εὐεργεσίας φωτισθείς· ἐννόησον αὐτὸν, ὅτι εἰ ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπου νομίζων συνηγορεῖν, οὐκ ἐξέστη τῆς ἀληθείας, ἐὰν μάθῃ εὐαγγελικῶς λέγειν· Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος· καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος· τί ἔσται; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο λοιπὸν αὐτὸν εἰς γνῶσιν διωρθώσατο, τὸν μὲν ἀγῶνα ὑποδεξάμενος, τὴν δὲ πίστιν αὐτῷ σφραγίσας. Ἀπαντᾷ αὐτῷ ὁ Σωτήρ· οὐκ ἐγνώριζε γὰρ τὸν χαρακτῆρα οὗτος. Ὅτε γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ κολυμβήθρᾳ τοῦ Σιλωὰμ τοῦ νίψασθαι, τυφλὸν ἀπέστειλεν· ὡς δὲ ἐπανῆλθε βλέπων, τὸν μὲν Σωτῆρα οὐκ εἶδε τῷ πλήθει ὄντα ἀναμεμιγμένον, ἀλλὰ εὐθέως, πρὶν τοῦ ∆εσπότην ἰδεῖν, εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα κληθεὶς ἠγωνίσατο. Πηλὸν δὲ πρὸ τοῦ αὐτὸν νίψασθαι ἐποίησεν ὁ ∆εσπότης, καὶ ἔχρισεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἵνα ἀναπληρώσῃ τὸ λεῖπον. Ὅτε οὖν ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω, εὑρὼν αὐτὸν ὁ Χριστὸς, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Οὐ δεῖ γάρ σε ὡς προφήτῃ πιστεῦσαι ἀγωνιζομένῳ, ἀλλ' ὡς Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐκεῖνος τὸ πρόσωπον μὴ 59.550 γνωρίσας, τὴν φωνὴν ἀνεγνώρισε. Σὺ πιστεύεις, φησὶν, εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ἐπέγνω τὴν φωνὴν, καὶ μετὰ περιχαρείας ἐβόησε, Καὶ τίς ἐστι, Κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύσω εἰς αὐτόν; ∆ιὰ τί πιστεύεις σοι λέγοντι τῷ πιστῷ· Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Οἶδα ὅτι ὁ λόγος σου ἀληθής ἐστιν· ὅμως δὲ κἂν εἴπῃς μοι τὴν γνῶσιν, οὐκ ἀμφιβάλλω σοι πιστεῦσαι. Καὶ τίς ἐστι, Κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύσω εἰς αὐτόν; Καὶ ὁ προγνώστης ἀντέφη· Καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν, καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετὰ σοῦ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν. Ὁ ἔσω συνηγορήσας, ἔξω διαλέγεται· Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ὁ δὲ πεφωτισμένος καὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν, ἔφησε· Καὶ τίς ἐστι, Κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύσω εἰς αὐτόν; Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν, καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετὰ σοῦ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Πιστεύω, Κύριε· καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ. Ταῦτά μοι εἴρηται, ἵνα μάθητε πάντες καλῷ διδασκάλῳ ἕπεσθαι, καὶ ποιμένα ἀγαθὸν μιμεῖσθαι, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἀγωνίζεσθαι· ὁ γὰρ ὑμῶν